Disordered Eating and young people’s mental health
Children and young people’s mental health is in the news again today with a focus on eating disorders. Kids Inspire has seen a 95% increase in two years of referrals relating to disordered eating.
New figures, reported by the Children’s Commissioner, show that almost half of children and young people, under 18 and in need of urgent care for disordered eating in England, are actually waiting more than three months to begin treatment with statutory services. In response to this, Heart Essex reached out to Kids Inspire for input on the news story.
Vicky Lysons, our Clinical Impact Manager spoke on behalf of our specialist Clinical Team:
Heart Essex: At Kids Inspire what are you seeing with the young people you work with? Are young people having to wait a long time before they get statutory help? Are more people coming to you for help and has there been an increase in request for support?
Vicky: The report today does tally with our referral numbers from the last couple of years. In the year 2021/22 we had a 95% increase in referrals relating to disordered eating compared to our numbers from the previous year. That number has sustained into the following years. We do see disordered eating being a trend for young people, sadly.
Vicky Lysons, Kids Inspire’s Clinical Impact Manager
Heart Essex: Why is there a delay for help? Is it because of the increase in disordered eating amongst young people?
Vicky: The reason for the wait that young people are going through perhaps in part is because of the sudden increase in the last couple of years. Both in disordered eating and in referral numbers across the board.
We do receive referrals from the NHS, GPs, and sometimes through the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAHMS). Overall we have a good relationship with the health service. They refer to us, and we onto them. It is important that we have a good relationship with those points of service so that we can make sure that Kids Inspire fits into the system and the help being offered. It means that young people and their families can access the right support that they need.
When we talk about disordered eating, the GP always needs to be the first port of call, so they can make an assessment on what kind of service is needed - if medical support is required, Kids Inspire’s support would not be right at that point in time.
Heart Essex: How detrimental can a delay or wait for support be to a young person?
Eating disorders are a complicated set of psychological mechanisms that can aid an individual to cope with, and manage, overwhelming emotions and experiences. Things have already become quite pressing for the young person if they have got to the point of developing an eating disorder.
It is an ambitious aim (by 2021 95% of children and young people with Eating Disorders would begin treatment within 1 week for urgent cases and 4 weeks for non-urgent cases) that was set out by the NHS to reach young people within 1-4 weeks, but for somebody that is experiencing an eating disorder, it is all-encompassing – it is very powerful and they really need to access support as soon as possible.
We know that early support is effective and that the earlier that someone can access support for what they are dealing with, the longer lasting and the more positive the benefits of the support are. That isn’t to say that support accessed later isn’t going to be effective. It might just be that there is a different process.
Importantly, in regard to eating disorders, it’s also important that the family around the young person is supported. It’s not just the young person in isolation.
When we talk about support for young people, we are not just talking about them, we also talking about their network (the immediate people around them). We know, not just with eating disorders, but with other things within mental health and wellbeing that young people have better outcomes if their family (whether its parents, caregivers, or whoever is closest to them and responsible for their care) are supported. It offers all-encompassing and wrapping around that young person.
Additionally, the waiting can really add to the stress and anxiety that a young person and a family are feeling. The uncertainty around what to do, how to cope how to manage can be really difficult. The longer the wait, the more detrimental it is.
-ends-
Please note: Kids Inspire is not a crisis emergency organisation. Outside of 9am-5pm, if you or your child is at immediate risk, please contact the crisis service related to your concern:
NHS111 Mental Health - Dial 111 and select the option for mental health crisis (24 hours a day)
Emotional Wellbeing Mental Health Service Crisis Team – 0300 555 1201
Family Operations Hub – 0345 606 1212 (weekend line)