When Eating Is Difficult
Target audience
Setting SENCOs and Early Years Education Practitioners, Primary School Practitioners
Course outline
The course will aim to develop the practitioner’s knowledge and understanding as to why eating is difficult for some children. The course will equip practitioners with the confidence and knowledge in implementing specific strategies and adaptations to support children with eating difficulties within the setting environment; as well as knowledge of advice that practitioners can share with parents and carers. The course will involve practical elements where practitioners will have opportunities to practice implementing food play sessions with children using a specific therapeutic approach.
Course objectives
- To provide a basic overview of typical feeding development.
- To explore reasons for eating difficulties including medical issues; developmental issues; sensory differences; and Autism characteristics and traits.
- To provide a basic overview of sensory processing and how it relates to feeding development and feeding difficulties.
- To provide knowledge in the use of specific approaches and strategies to support children with eating difficulties including:
- A ‘systematic desensitisation’ approach.
- ’32 steps to eating’.
- Food play including setting up and running individual and group ‘fun with food’ play sessions.
- Food chaining.
- To provide knowledge in strategies that can be used during mealtimes at home and at setting, to support children with eating difficulties.
Course outcomes
- Practitioners will have increased understanding of the reasons and issues that contribute to a child having eating difficulties.
- Practitioners will be able to identify children presenting with eating difficulties and problem solve possible reasons for these.
- Practitioners will have increased knowledge of ways in which they can support children with eating difficulties as well as their parents and carers.
- Practitioners will be able to implement individual and group food play sessions, using a ‘systematic desensitization’ approach
Date: Monday 16 March 2026
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Venue: Spring Grove House, West Thames College, London Road, Isleworth, TW7 4HS
Cost: £20 per delegate
Facilitator: Occupational Therapy