Families and support people play a crucial role in the care, support and recovery of people experiencing an eating disorder.

Supporting and caring for a loved one experiencing an eating disorder can be challenging and distressing for family and supports.  This page provides a list of resources for families and supports of people with lived experience of an eating disorder. These resources include online materials, tools, and programs, as well as services that provide telephone, online, and/or face-to-face to support.

Resources and factsheets

Resources for family and supports

Eating Disorders Carer Help Kit 

Eating Disorders Carers Help Kit provides family members, carers, and key support people with information and resources about eating disorders, treatment options, and ways to help your loved one. The Shared Table Meal Support Training is an online meal support training program for carers. Access their website here. 

Feed Your Instinct (FYI) 

FYI is an interactive tool developed by The Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) to support parents of children and young people experiencing eating disorders and/or body image problems. FYI provides a list of helpful resources and an interactive tool that allows parents to generate a report based on your answers to questions about behaviours and thinking patterns related to eating and body concerns they may be observing in their child. Access the website here. 

Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) 

CCI have developed a range of resources to educate and support people experiencing an eating disorder and their family and supports. Access their website here. 

Mental Health First Aid Australia – Eating Disorder First Aid Guidelines  

The Eating Disorder First Aid Guidelines are designed to help members of the public provide first aid to someone who is developing or experiencing an eating disorder. Access the guidelines here. 

Seeking support

There are avenues for support for families and supports of people with lived experience of an eating disorder. These include services that provide telephone, online, and/or face-to-face to support.

Click here to find out more about these.

To better understand the support options available for the person you care for, you may like to read about the Stepped System of Care for Eating Disorders. This model outlines the types of clinicians and services that you may access and the role they have in supporting you.

Eating disorders organisations and support services

Butterfly 

The Butterfly Foundation is the national charity for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, and for the families, friends and communities who support them. Butterfly have a national Helpline which provides information, referrals, and brief counselling for people experiencing an eating disorder, disordered eating and/or body image concerns as well as family and supports. Free and confidential support is available via phone, email and online chat for anyone in Australia affected by an eating disorder or body image issue, including family and supports. Call 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE), and access Butterfly’s online support via their website. 

Butterfly also facilitate online support groups for people who are supporting someone with an eating disorder. More information here. 

Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) 

Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) is the only national organisation providing support, education, and advocacy services solely for carers and families impacted by an eating disorder. EDFA also provides free online one-on-one counselling with lived experienced counsellors. Call 1300 195 626 or access their website here. 

Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) 

EDV is a not-for-profit organisation providing support services, information and guidance to people impacted by eating disorders in Victoria. Services include a telephone helpline, support groups, online chat room and discussion board, and education and support workshops for people experiencing eating disorders, and family and supports. Access their website here. 

Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ)

EDQ is a not-for-profit providing integrated eating disorder support services and resources to people living in Queensland who are living with and/or recovering from an eating disorder and their families and supports. Access their website here.

Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.) 

F.E.A.S.T. is a nonprofit global community of parents of someone who has or is currently experiencing an eating disorder, providing support to parents and caregivers of people with eating disorders. The website includes information and resources about eating disorders and treatment options, an online caregivers forum, online stories and letters, weblinks to parent blogs, and other resources. Access their website here. 

Seeking professional help

Your GP is a good ‘first base’ to talk to about your concerns and can refer the person you care for to a practitioner with specific knowledge in eating disorders. Your GP can help you to connect with the right care team for the person you are supporting. 

Remember that it may take time to find the right treatment and the right therapist to meet the needs of the person you care about. Everyone responds differently to different types of treatment and the doctor or specialist will advise you on which treatment they feel may be most beneficial. The best type of treatment is one that is focused on the needs of the person experiencing an eating disorder and includes their family or circle of support within care planning.

For searchable information about eating disorder-specific clinical services, see our Service Locator. Or you can contact the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE.