Eating Disorders in Independent Schools: Spotting the digital cues

Eating disorders can significantly impact a student's wellbeing and academic achievement. It is crucial that schools support parents in spotting any signs of children with a problem. This can be challenging. Digital safeguarding technology can identify student concerns as they emerge and help schools to take action as soon as possible.

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As children grow, experience of body changes such as body shape, skin, increased hormones, heightened emotions and mood swings are all very common. It is hard for teachers to be able to spot which symptoms are simply part of growing up and those that may indicate a serious problem. Staff are unlikely to notice the eating habits of students and identify a problem until it has been long established and has potentially reached a critical level.

From students starving themselves to students obsessed with the gym and protein shakes, appearance is everything in the eyes of some, and they are prepared to go to extremes, unable to look at their bodies rationally. With conventional television being replaced by YouTube, TikTok and Instagram and pupils idolising influencers and celebrities, children’s minds can be greatly skewed in the way their bodies should look and the types of activities that are normal.

Eating disorders have always been a concern amongst children. As they grow from children into teenagers, pupils are at their most vulnerable to feeling that they need to be accepted, and for some, the way they look will be at the forefront of their minds. But a change that has been rapidly growing in the last few years is the amount of access to the internet and the way the online environment has become a platform of fuel. Unlimited content such as ideas for extreme dieting and competitive messaging sites for those who can lose the most weight or gain the most muscle is all easily accessible.

Cyberbullying and the online space as factors

Social media also plays a big part in how images that are finely crafted to make bodies look unrealistically perfect are hosted, accessed and shared online, with Governments issuing many warnings that they must do more to remove such harmful content.

The online space can also lead to cyberbullying, including doctored imagery and hate comments about the way teenagers look. This kind of online abuse can be a root cause of children turning to eating disorders as their confidence and self-esteem become affected.

With so many contributory factors caused by the online space, it is important that schools monitor individual online activity effectively. With many students spending time on digital devices during their free periods and while in their boarding houses, a solution that monitors for types of activity that may signal a child at risk is imperative.

How technology can help

Digital safeguarding technology can identify problems like eating disorders. It can detect if a student accesses inappropriate material or types any content showing a significant risk. An effective solution will not record all digital activity. It will capture any incidents that identify a child at risk of harm. When a capture is made, an alert is raised to the school’s wellbeing staff to inform them of the activity and associated risk. Students may not feel confident enough to talk to other students or teachers about their feelings and experiences and so will turn to the internet for help. This is where digital safeguarding technology plays a crucial role.

Effective filtering is also an important aspect of keeping students safe from content that may trigger or further encourage an eating disorder. It provides schools with the ability to block websites it identifies as showing risk, such as ‘thinspiration’ sites which encourage children to lose weight and hide their extremes from others.

Parents entrust their child into the care of school staff during term time. They expect schools to be able to effectively identify if their child has a problem. Digital safeguarding technology and filtering are both essential methods for early detection and protection against harm.  

To find out how schools can break down the invisibility cloak and guide their students to greater digital awareness and understanding, see our recent whitepaper, "Student digital safety and wellbeing - how to find and close the gaps. An essential guide for Australian Independent and Catholic schools."

Related Download

Student digital safety and wellbeing - how to find and close the gaps. An essential guide for Australian Independent and Catholic schools.

Our free practical whitepaper is designed to guide you through the challenges around student digital safety and wellbeing and build a positive digital culture.

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