Launching the Civil Service Eating Disorders Network

1 Mar 2021 01:10 PM

Blog posted by: , 01 March 2021 – Categories: A Brilliant Civil Service, Civil Service Leaders, Uncategorized.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2021

Eating Disorders Awareness Week (1-7 March) aims to raise awareness and show solidarity and compassion for people affected by this debilitating condition.

I am proud to champion the new Civil Service Eating Disorders Network (CSEDN) efforts to tackle stigma around eating disorders in the workplace and provide support to colleagues.

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions with potentially life-threatening impacts. UK charity Beat estimates that 1.25-3.4 million people in the UK currently experience eating disorders. A further 4-5 million people are indirectly affected through supporting and caring responsibilities.

Shrouded in stigma

However, they are unfortunately still shrouded in stigma, misunderstanding and silence – particularly in the workplace. This can make it difficult for those with an eating disorder to speak up.

This can also make it hard for line managers and colleagues to spot signs of illness and offer support. A Beat survey found over 30% of people felt they were stigmatised or discriminated against because of their eating disorder at work. More than four in five respondents felt their colleagues were uninformed about eating disorders.

Issues at work

Like other illness, eating disorders can impact a person’s ability to work, whether they themselves are affected or are supporting someone. Issues at work can, in turn, exacerbate the illness.

By breaking the stigma through open conversations, we can make the Civil Service a more inclusive workplace for those experiencing any issues. We can prevent serious problems from arising and foster an environment that allows colleagues to reach their potential.

Sarah Harrison, Chief Operating Officer, Cabinet Office

I encourage you all to get involved and support CSEDN’s programme of events and initiatives. Together, we can break the barrier for people who need to seek help but may be too fearful to do so.

As a parent of a teenager who has suffered anorexia, I know first-hand of the challenges of eating disorders, anxiety and poor mental health. I have also experienced the impact it has on families and friends.

Eating disorders don’t discriminate. They can affect anyone – regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic background. While eating disorders are difficult to treat, support and understanding in the workplace can play a significant role in recovery.

Introducing the CSEDN

Louise Sun

Louise Sun (CSEDN co-founder) explains: The CSEDN’s goal is to raise awareness and support anyone affected by eating disorders by fostering a safe and inclusive workplace culture. Anyone affected deserves to feel able to ask for help without fear of judgement, shame or discrimination.

We aim to achieve this by:

Charlotte Coxon

Charlotte Coxon (CSEDN co-founder) highlighted the knock-on positive effects of one person speaking up.

After reading an intranet blog about a colleague’s eating disorder experience, I got in touch and we had a chat about the topic. The next year, inspired by her candid bravery, I wrote a blog about my experiences to raise awareness.

Following publication, another colleague got in touch and wanted to see how we could support others. We decided to set up a yammer support group for Defra colleagues. We also published a joint blog on ED awareness in relation to the Covid-19 situation and joined up with colleagues in the CSEDN.

Georgina Partida

Georgina Partida (CSEDN co-founder) summarised her experience of support received.

Sharing stories and finding colleagues with similar experiences to me has been so helpful with my recovery. The Support Group is such a brilliant place to share advice and worries about how EDs affect us all in the workplace.

We work together to help each other overcome things we may be struggling with. It’s a fantastic group and I’m so pleased to be able to spread awareness and support available across the civil service.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week Programme

The CSEDN have put together an exciting programme of events for all civil servants to take part in during EDAW. As part of this, I’m looking forward to discussing the impact of 2020 on disordered eating with Beat’s CEO Andrew Radford. We will also be launching a video series. Details should be available via your local intranet and through your local Civil Service Employee Policy (CSEP) champions. We will also be launching a video series on the Civil Service YouTube channel.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the network at edsg@beis.gov.uk.