Background: Eating disorders (ED) have a peak rate of onset in school-aged children. Little is known about pupils' experiences of ED within a school setting. Method: Five hundred and eleven 11-to 19-year-old school pupils completed an online questionnaire exploring their experiences of ED (72% female, 28% male). Responses were analysed using content analysis principles. Results: Of the participants, 38% had a current or past ED, 49% of these had never received a formal diagnosis. Of the respondents, 59% saw a need to raise ED awareness. Only 7% would confide in a teacher about an ED. Conclusions: Efforts are needed to break down barriers to disclosure and support teachers to play an effective role in the detection and early intervention for ED. Key Practitioner Message• Eating disorders are at their most prevalent amongst young people of secondary school age • Early recognition and intervention lead to far more successful outcomes both short term and long term • Teachers are in an excellent position to spot eating disorder warning signs but currently do not do so consistently • Whilst pupils feel confident in spotting eating disorder warning signs, they are reluctant to report concerns to a teacher due to fears around confidentiality, inappropriate reactions and perceived stigma • Teachers and peers can play an important role in eating disorder recognition and recovery; improved education and training is needed for both school staff and students in order for this potential to be realised

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of a Healthy Living Group (HLG) for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health problems in an inpatient setting. Design/methodology/approach -Seven sessions were developed. Each session focussed on a different aspect of healthy living, and used psychoeducation and practical skill building to enable individuals to create personalized healthy living plans. Quantitative post-intervention measures and a qualitative focus group were used to determine group participants' learning and enjoyment.Findings -Principles about healthy living were successfully taught in an enjoyable way to individuals with learning disabilities. Factors that enhanced learning and those that created barriers to developing healthy living plans are explored. Practical implications -Individuals with learning disabilities and mental health problems can be supported to develop personalized healthy living plans. Recommendations for further adaptations to the group structure are made, in order to enable others to run successful groups. Originality/value -The HLG is the first of its kind to be developed for individuals with learning disabilities.