EDFA Admin Group Rules
1. Membership – adult caregivers
The EDFA Facebook group is for parents, partners, adult siblings, extended family members or friends (residing in Australia) who care for or support an individual living with an eating disorder. All three membership questions must be answered and confirmation group rules is required. EDFA reserves the right to deny or cancel membership of a carer if deemed to be in violation of membership criteria or Facebook group rules.
2. Membership – caregivers working in the ED space
Caregivers who also work in the eating disorders sector or carer space, are required to self-declare their professional role and provide additional information to assist EDFA, including details of any past, existing or potential conflicts of interest, whether financial, professional or competitive. Caregivers working in the sector, who also have a direct financial relationship with any member of the group, are not able to participate.
3. Naming of individual services and clinicians
There is to be no negativity or criticism when naming individual services or clinicians. Defamatory or offensive posts or comments are not permitted.
4. Professional, financial or competitive gain
The EDFA Facebook group should never be used for professional, financial or competitive gain. Such use is in violation of the rules and will result in removal from the group. Posts promoting personal fundraising causes (other than EDFA) are also not permitted.
5. Respect everyone’s privacy
Being part of this group requires mutual trust. What’s shared in the group must stay in the group. Members who share group content with non-members will be immediately removed from the group.
6. Trigger warnings, on sensitive content
We ask that #TW or #TriggerWarning is placed at the top of any post referring to suicide, self-harm, overdose or death to forewarn members of the sensitive nature of the content. Specific or graphic details of these traumatic events should not be included. Relevant trigger warnings may be added to a post by a moderator if deemed appropriate.
7. No weight details, or photos of your loved one
No mention of your loved one’s specific body weight or BMI as the content could be triggering for others. Numbers of weight loss or gain are permitted. Photos of your loved one are not permitted to protect their privacy. We encourage posting positive and uplifting images to provide comfort and hope.
8. Support, encouragement, optimism and hope
Positive posts are intended to provide reassurance and hope of recovery. Please do not make negative comments on positive posts. Bullying or personal attacks of any kind are not allowed, and degrading comments about race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated. Offensive language, comments, photos and materials are not permitted and could place EDFA in breach of Facebook Community Standards resulting in closure of the group.
9. Seek professional suppport
We recommend members seek professional support. As carers offering lived-experience peer support, we cannot provide professional advice, or promote individual treatments or therapies. Members are free to discuss all treatment or therapeutic options, but decisions about treatment and therapeutic options should be made in partnership with a medical professional. Should you suspect that you, or a loved one, may need additional help, speak to your local healthcare practitioner without delay.
10. Private Messaging
We ask members to avoid private messaging others in the group. Group members will gain the most benefit out of discussion remaining in the group, where moderators and other members can participate and provide support and encouragement. If you receive a private message from another group member, you are not obligated to respond, and we ask you to direct the conversation back to the group.