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A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.

At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link. 

Online Peer-led Parent and Carer Support Group

We are a group of parents with lived experience of supporting our young people with their eating disorder. We understand the range of emotions a parent or carer may feel among the noise of the eating disorder. Lost, powerless, helpless, angry and alone; to name a few.

We’re all at different stages post-discharge from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, giving us a range of experience and insight that can be used within the group to support parents and carers and give hope.

The group

The group is run twice a month – the first Monday and third Thursday each month from 7pm-8pm – to provide a safe space for parents and carers to ask questions, share their thoughts and feelings, and gain insight from the lived experience parents, as well as each other.

What to expect

Each week we will ask the same three questions:

• How are you?
• How are things going?
• Do you have a question you’d like to ask?

These three questions relate to you as a parent or carer; to ensure you have a moment to be heard, to feel supported, and to get your questions answered. It’s vital to remember that you’re important, too. The lived experience parents will facilitate the group and a member of the CAMHS team will accompany in case they are needed.

You do not have to attend every session; some people may want to join every one, some may only join when they’re looking for an answer to their question. Either is OK.

Aims of the group

Whilst no two people are going to experience the group in exactly the same way, there is likely to be common themes. Parents and carers may:

• Feel supported.
• Feel less isolated.
• Feel understood.
• Feel reassured.
• Feel heard.
• Feel more in control.
• Feel able to express their thoughts and emotions.
• Feel their questions have been answered.
• Feel safe to share.

We have a leaflet full of parent and carer testimonials provided by the CPFT Adult Eating Disorders Online Carer Support Group, which is the inspiration for this group. We’d recommend you read this to gain insight into carers who share their thoughts on how valuable support groups like this can be. We look forward to seeing you.

Remember, there’s no shame in struggle.

One-day workshop: Parents' and Carers' Support Group

The Eating Disorder Team is providing a one-day workshop to all parents/carers of young people with an eating disorder or disordered eating. The workshop is run by a range of experienced practitioners. It is particularly helpful for those who are newly assessed or have been in the service for less than six months.  

You will be invited to one of our one-day workshops.  

• Location: The Newtown Centre, Nursery Rd, Huntingdon PE29 3RJ
• Time: 9:30am-2:30pm.
• Parking: There is a small on-site car park however this does become busy. There is off-street parking on nearby streets - Priory road and Hartford Road. 

Refreshments will be provided - however, please bring your own lunch. Alternatively, there is a local supermarket five minutes away. There is a small on-site car park, as well as off-street parking available on nearby streets - Priory road and Hartford Road. If you have any accessibility needs, please let us know on 01480 or e-mail CPFT-CAMHSEDAdmin@cpft.nhs.uk. 

What to expect

The workshop follows an evidence-based program of different topics. It has been designed to provide information about eating disorders and answer any questions you may have. The group allows you to meet other parents and carers going through similar struggles, and to share any experiences, thoughts, and feelings in a safe and accepting environment. Note there is no expectation to share more than you feel comfortable with. During the day, we hope you will get to meet parents / people with lived experience of an eating disorder, where you can ask questions.

Topics include:

• Understanding eating disorders
• How eating disorders affect the family and using your strengths
• Understanding the stages of change
• Effective communication and managing distress
• Effective meal planning
• Understanding what keeps the eating disorder going.

Aims of the group are to:

• Increase your understanding and knowledge of eating disorders.
• Increase your skills and confidence in managing difficult eating behaviours and emotions.
• Improve adherence with meal plans and helping to overcome obstacles.
• Provide support for parents.

CPFT CAMHS Eating Disorders Team Carers’ Agreement

• We know family support improves the likelihood of good outcomes and that you are an invaluable resource. We will listen to you, respect your views and always treat you with dignity.
• We will recognise that as a carer you may be facing additional challenges in addition to supporting your child and family’s needs. We will check in regularly and signpost you to other agencies that may be able to help.
• We will listen to your concerns and work with you to develop your skills and knowledge so that you will feel more confident to support your loved one on their journey of recovery.
• We know carers can feel a range of emotions; alone and isolated, scared and worried.  It is important to look after yourself.  We will encourage you to practice self-care and signpost you to our carer’s groups, online support and useful resources.
• Siblings can take a very positive caring role and be great distractions around mealtimes and role model that life goes on outside the eating disorder. We believe the experiences and emotions of siblings are important too and that they might benefit from a young carers assessment and advice regarding where to go with their worries or fears.
• When added to a waiting list and during treatment carers will be provided with details to contact us if advice or support is needed.
• We will work to ensure we are up to date with information and resources that many be of benefit.  This will include attending forums, linking with local carer networks and have regular training for staff on carer awareness.