Transition From Child to Adult Eating Disorder Services: A Qualitative Meta-Aggregation

Some young people with eating disorders (EDs) require transfer from paediatric to adult services, which can be difficult and distressing. While most research on this topic is qualitative, no qualitative focused synthesis yet exists.

Systematic review identified 21 qualitative studies, which were analysed using meta-aggregation.

Findings included: (1) Age-related transfers deserve specific attention; (2) The distress of the young person, families, and clinicians must be considered; (3) Clear communication between all parties is essential; (4) Paediatric supports should include early conversations and build health management skills; (5) Timing should align with developmental readiness; (6) Plans should be personalised and account for concurrent life transitions; (7) Referrals should be straightforward; GPs need more training to support young people during referral gaps; [Correction added on 06 July 2026, after first online publication: The word "support" has been added to the preceding sentence.] (8) Joint supports include overlapping care, transition coordinators, transition passports, and peer support; (9) Paediatric and adult services should develop a shared philosophy/culture for emerging adults; (10) Parent/carer involvement should be balanced with building the young person's independence; (11) ED-specific guidelines or interventions may be beneficial; (12) Adult supports include emerging adult programming, increased resources, and ED training for generalist services.

While consistent with existing expertise based guidance, this synthesis provides a qualitative evidence base to inform intervention development and co-production.