Support For Siblings

Navigating an eating disorder diagnosis in the family is difficult and often has an impact on all members of the family, particularly when there are multiple children in the family.

EDFA recognises the challenges facing siblings and provides support to siblings via three programs.

Resources And Activities

With the generous support of the Helen and David Hains Foundation, EDFA has developed dedicated resources to support siblings of individuals with an eating disorder, whether they live at home or elsewhere.

While siblings need support that speaks directly to their experience, parents and carers play a vital role in nurturing the emotional well-being of all children in the family. For this reason, we’ve created three tailored toolkits – each designed to support siblings directly, and to guide parents and carers in understanding and responding to what siblings may be feeling or facing.

These toolkits complement each other and are therefore designed to be read as a collective.

The term parent throughout these toolkits refers to anyone caring for a child aged 10–17 who has a sibling with an eating disorder. We recognise that parents and siblings can be biological and non-biological. For anyone identifying as a parent or sibling, this resource is for you.

The Sibling Toolkit is designed for siblings to work through on their own. The toolkit offers validation for the challenges they may be experiencing and provides activities for distraction and self-care. Most importantly, it empowers siblings to identify and understand their emotions, establish healthy boundaries to protect their wellbeing, and develop coping strategies to manage concerns about their sibling’s health.

The Parent Toolkit offers insight into the sibling experience and strategies for parents to offer effective support – with practical tips, emotional support, and strategies to help parents navigate the complexities of treatment, recovery, and everyday challenges. This resource is designed to help you feel less alone, more informed, and better equipped for the road ahead.

The Parent and Sibling Toolkit is designed to help parent and child connect and communicate more effectively. This toolkit offers guidance, insights, and tools to help you navigate the emotional, relational, and practical challenges of the caring journey, with a strong focus on understanding, connection, and self-care.

Request Hard Copies Of The Toolkits Here

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Individual Counselling

EDFA offers individual counselling sessions for siblings aged 10 and over. These free, 45-minute online sessions provide a supportive space where siblings can learn strategies to reduce stress, better understand eating disorders, and navigate the complex emotions and dynamics that can arise within families.

No referral is required, and there is no limit to the number of sessions that can be accessed.

Support Groups

EDFA offers a support group for siblings over 18. The group aims to give siblings a voice in a safe space, helping them understand their role as a sibling, no matter how involved in treatment or recovery. The group is run by facilitators with lived experience of supporting a sibling through their eating disorder.

Need more support? Join our private carer forum – a supportive community and a safe, confidential,
comfortable space for adult carers of an individual with an eating disorder.