Registration is now open for the PEACE Pathway Conference: Neurodiversity and Eating Disorders, taking place online on 20 May 2026.
The conference will present an overview of the ongoing development of the PEACE Pathway, including key outcomes, implementation learning, and the continued evolution of the clinical model in response to emerging research and lived experience.
The PEACE Pathway was originally developed to address a clear clinical need: the high co-occurrence of autism in people with eating disorders and the limited systematic guidance available for clinicians working with this population. Over time, the work has expanded to reflect the broader landscape of neurodiversity within eating disorder services, including attention to ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence.
As a result, the PEACE Pathway is evolving beyond an autism-focused adaptation pathway toward a neurodivergent-informed service framework. This approach recognises the importance of personalised and flexible care in improving patient experience and treatment outcomes.
Within the national eating disorder service at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, this has involved embedding neurodivergent-informed thinking across clinical practice, team culture, service design, and resource development. The model integrates clinical expertise, research evidence, and co-production with patients and families.
The conference will share reflections on this progression—from early clinical adaptations to a more integrated, service-wide model—and discuss impact, challenges, and future directions. It will also provide space for dialogue with clinicians, researchers, and service leaders interested in developing neurodivergent-friendly practices within their own services.
Event details
👉 Register HERE
Session 1 | ||
Time
| Presentation
| Speaker
|
| 10:00 – 10:20 | Welcome & Overview of the PEACE Pathway (20 min) | Professor Kate Tchanturia |
| 10:20 – 10:40 | Formulation and Thinking About Personalised Care (20 min) | Dr Karina Allen |
| 10:40 – 10:55 | Case Presentation: Implementing Neurodivergent-Inclusive Adaptations in a Group Treatment Programme (15 min) | Mary Cowan (Occupational Therapist) & Adia Meyer (Higher Assistant Psychologist) |
| 10:55 – 11:05 | ☕ Coffee Break (10 min) | |
| 11:05 – 11:25 | Demystifying the Human Body: pilot outcomes from implementing a novel group intervention (20 min) | Dr Claire Baillie |
| 11:25 – 11:45 | A Dietitian’s Approach to Neurodiversity in Eating Disorder Care (20 min) | Sharleen Woods |
| 11:45 – 12:05 | 🎤 Q&A (20 min) | All speakers |
12:05 – 12:35
|
🍽 Lunch Break (30 min) | |
| Session 2 | ||
| Time | Presentation
| Speaker
|
| 12:35 – 12:55 | Clinicians and Patients: Identifying Further Needs (20 min) | Lauren Makin
|
12:55 – 13:15
| From Listening to Innovation: A Patient-Informed Pathway from Sensory Inquiry to Clinical Application (20 min) | Dr Dimitri Chubinidze |
| 13:15 – 13:30 | Case Study: Benefits of Co-Production (ADHD Animation) (15 min) | Ayse Gundogan |
| 13:30 – 13:40 | ☕ Coffee Break (10 min) | |
| 13:40 – 14:00 | Working with Families in Neurodivergent Eating Disorders on the PEACE Pathway (20 min) |
Dr Madeleine Oakley |
| 14:00 – 14:10 | Web Development and Digital Resources (10 min) | Jenny Frances |
| 14:10 – 14:20 | Adapting inpatient admissions for autistic young people on a CAMHS ED unit (10 min) | Ella Boutros |
| 14:20 – 14:30 | Communication Passport (10 min) | Kendal Sterling |
| 14:30 – 14:40 | PEACE Huddle (10 min) | Philippa Croft |
| 14:40 – 15:00 | Impact and Dissemination of the PEACE Pathway (20 min) | Professor Kate Tchanturia |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | 🎤 Q&A & Closing Reflections | All speakers |
We look forward to welcoming colleagues interested in advancing neurodivergent-informed approaches in eating disorder care.
You might find these interesting too!
Robert shares his and his wife’s experience and advice in caring for a child with autism and an eating disorder.
A neurodiversity-informed guide for patients with an eating disorder, with a focus on autism and ADHD. This resource offers practical information and strategies grounded in lived experience and clinical expertise.
This lived experience piece explores how receiving an autism diagnosis shaped two individuals’ journeys through eating disorder recovery. They reflect on the challenges they faced in treatment before understanding their neurodivergence, how the diagnosis reframed their experiences, and how recovery strategies became more effective when adapted to their sensory and cognitive needs. Their stories highlight the importance of autism-informed approaches in eating disorder care.
