EDapt: Eating Disorder – Agency, Partnership & Transition

The EDapt program was formed in collaboration with the Women's and Children's Hospital and Flinders Medical centre's Eating Disorder program. The program was developed to provide a wrap-around transitional support to children and teenagers receiving treatment and care for an eating disorder. The program liaises regularly with the individuals’ families, schools and clinicians to ensure that educational needs remain part of the conversation throughout treatment.  This includes supporting school engagement, facilitating communication between healthcare teams and educators, assisting with educational adjustments, and helping schools create environments that support recovery while maintaining connection to learning and school life.

The program also provides free information sessions and consultation to schools across South Australia. These sessions aim to increase understanding of eating disorders, answer questions, dispel common misconceptions and build the confidence of educators. 

National Strategy Standards and Actions

Prevention

Action 3.1: Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to partner with other sectors, industries, professional bodies and consumer groups to develop and disseminate training and supporting resources in eating disorder-safe principles for community, health and education professionals working with a diverse range of people and communities and support their implementation. 

 Action 5.3: Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to continue to provide evidence-based training, resources and support for people providing prevention programs or interventions (e.g., school staff, sports coaches, workplace wellbeing managers). 

Psychosocial

Action 1.1: Clinical services to provide information about available psychosocial and recovery support services and programs to people experiencing eating disorders and their families/supports and facilitate connection to these services and programs as required.

Action 1.2: Clinical services to include psychosocial and recovery support providers in the multidisciplinary care team where appropriate. 

Workforce

Action 4.2: Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to provide professional development opportunities to the education, social and community services sector.