This page outlines how education staff, care services, parents, guardians, and health professionals work together to manage a child or student with eating disorders in education and care settings.

About eating disorders

An eating disorder is a serious mental illness, characterised by eating, exercise and body weight or shape becoming an unhealthy preoccupation of someone’s life. Eating disorders are a serious mental condition that affects around 9% of the Australian population. Many people experiencing an eating disorder suffer from depression or anxiety.

Learn more about eating disorders including:

• warning signs
• risk factors
• types.

Health support plans and agreements

If the child or student has an eating disorder, the education or care service should refer to health support planning for children and students in education and care settings to ensure that the appropriate plans and agreements are in place. This is in addition to the eating disorder-specific plans and agreements listed on this page.

Care plan

Parent or caregivers should complete an oral eating and drinking care plan – HSP210 (DOCX 138 KB) with their child’s health professional and return it to their school, preschool or care provider.

Education and care staff who regularly engage with the child or student will need to know what is in each plan.

Educational adjustments

Educational adjustments support children and students on an individual basis. Adjustments should be determined by the parents and education and care service and documented in the health support agreement.

Examples of adjustments may include:

• identifying cues and triggers for anxiety implementing key school-based issues and development of appropriate strategies
• assigning a school mentor with regular contact
• recognising small achievements using positive reinforcement, communication strategies and feedback
• providing a special area at school to eat lunch.

Training and education for staff

Further Information for education and care staff is available at Positive Partnerships and Student Wellbeing Hub.

How parents and caregivers can help

Parents or guardians must:

• notify the school, preschool or care service if their child has an eating disorder
• complete health care plans and agreements with their health care professionals and provide them to the school, preschool or care service
• provide required medication to the school, preschool or care service.

If a medication agreement is in place, parents and caregivers must fulfil the roles and responsibilities outlined on the medication management and care page.

How health professionals can help

Health professionals support schools, preschools, care services and families by helping to develop the care plan and any supporting medication and care agreements.