Collaborative Carer Skills Workshop (CCSW) – Facilitator Workshop

Organisation / Service

Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED)

Collaborative Carer Skills Workshop (CCSW) is an internationally recognised evidence-based workshop offering parents, carers and support people a range of practical skills and communication techniques to more effectively care for their loved one with an eating disorder. CCSW is based on the new Maudsley Approach and has the unique approach of offering carers practical ways to reduce their psychological distress and carer burnout during their loved one’s recovery journey.

The Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) is a statewide eating disorder specialist service of the Victorian Mental Health System providing clinical support to health professionals and services through clinical consultation, training and service development. CEED provides a ‘facilitator training’ of CCSW (Child, Youth and Adult sectors) with the aim of offering the Lived Experience Workforce and other health professionals the relevant skills and knowledge to implement the CCSW workshop within their local service. It is the hope that the training will be offered by CEED 2-3 times per year on an ongoing basis. There is a particular focus on collaborating with those with lived experience where co-production and co-design is central to the CEED CCSW facilitator training. The training is facilitated by both a CEED Mental Health clinician and a Lived Experience worker in order to model the ideal combination of facilitation when implemented. 

CEED has acknowledged its responsibility in providing training that reflects the standards and actions outlined in the new National Strategy. 

National Strategy Standards and Actions

Treatment

Standard 3: Treatment is person-centred and inclusive of families/supports and communities. 

Action 3.3: Treatment services to engage families/supports as early as possible in treatment and provide them with specific psychoeducation and support for their own needs.

CCSW is designed to empower families, supports, healthcare professionals and communities, and acknowledge the collective role they play in recovery. It fosters a collaborative approach encouraging caregivers to work with the individual with the eating disorder to develop a shared understanding of the illness and establish mutually agreeable treatment goals. 

Standard 4: Treatment models and practices are effective and evidence-based.

Action 4.1: Treatment services to provide a model of care for eating disorders that is effective and evidence-based. 

CCSW is supported by a growing body of research. Studies have shown the program to be effective in reducing psychological distress, caregiver burden and emotional over-involvement. CCSW also incorporates other evidence-based concepts - motivational interviewing techniques, helping carers to build rapport, explore ambivalence and support positive change; and principles of CBT, assisting caregivers to understand the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours associated with eating disorders. 

Standard 9: Treatment providers are trained and skilled for the level of treatment they provide in line with national training standards. 

Action 9.1: Mental health and health services to ensure treatment providers meet minimum training standards in line with the National Framework for Eating Disorders Training and relevant professional guidelines. 

CEED provides specialist training to the Lived Experience Workforce and other healthcare professionals across Victoria and beyond. This contributes to increased capacity for Area Mental Health Services more broadly to deliver an evidence-based model that aligns with the National Standards, and overall empowers families to work more effectively together towards recovery. 

Contact:

Bliss Jackman - bliss.jackman@mh.org.au

Chantel Kleiner - chantel.kleiner@mh.org.au

Julia Quin - julia.quin@mh.org.au