FACTS Conference unites experts, carers, and families to improve understanding and support of BPD nationwide

The inaugural FACTS Conference brought together experts, carers, and families to improve support of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD/EUPD) across the UK.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, November 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Families, carers, and clinicians from across the UK gathered this month for the inaugural FACTS Conference – a two-day event focused on improving understanding of Borderline Personality Disorder/Emerging Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (BPD/EUPD) and building better support for those affected and their loved ones.

The event marked the first national conference organised by Families and Carers Training and Support (FACTS). Supported by Anna Freud, FACTS is a carer-led training programme designed for the carers and loved ones of people with a diagnosis of BPD/EUPD.

While FACTS normally provides training for families and carers on a regional basis, the conference saw this support extended to a national level, giving health professionals the chance to see its work in action and explore how it can assist carers in their services. The event also marked a significant step in raising awareness of FACTS and in uniting families, carers, and clinicians around the shared goal of improving understanding and treatment of the condition.

The conference took place amid ongoing strain on the NHS’ mental healthcare system, with people in mental health crisis sometimes waiting up to three days in A&E to receive support (The Guardian). Access to personality-disorder services tells a similar story: only 55% of NHS trusts say people in their regions have equal access (NIH).

BPD, also known as Emerging/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD), affects between 1-2% of the UK’s adult population. Despite being the most commonly recognised personality disorder (NHS), the UK lacks a fully standardised framework for the treatment and diagnosis of the condition – making access to support difficult and disjointed (Community Mental Health Services Inquiry).

Hosted at SCI Belgravia, the conference offered attendees the opportunity to hear from a series of leading professionals – each with decades of experience in researching and treating BPD/EUPD. It also featured core content from the FACTS training course, including mindfulness and emotion management, mentalizing, and problem-solving. The FACTS team invited carers and health professionals to take part in their ongoing development plans, helping to expand the programme and reach more carers across the UK.

Keynote speakers included Professor Piyal Sen, Medical Director and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist; Dr Deepti Shah-Armon, Clinical Director for Harrow Mental Health Services; and Ali Modaresi, Clinical Consultant Psychologist at the Central and North West London NHS Trust.

FACTS aims to strengthen the support available to people living with, or caring for, someone with BPD/EUPD through free training courses. Alongside tangible support, it also helps foster a sense of community among carers and loved ones – helping to reduce isolation and stigma, and giving carers the tools to better manage the emotional challenges that often come with the condition.

Many carers and families of those living with BPD/EUPD face their own challenges – from stress and burnout to societal stigma (Borderline Support) – yet support for them remains limited (Carers UK). These difficulties can be exacerbated by how the condition is recognised and treated by medical professionals and wider society (NIH).

Professor Piyal Sen, Medical Director and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, said: “It was a pleasure to deliver a talk at the FACTS conference. I was so impressed with the work FACTS does in conjunction with Anna Freud, Rethink, and NHS Trust organisations – teaching people how to support those living with BPD/EUPD, improving communication and outcomes.

“By equipping families, partners, and mental health professionals with the tools and understanding to better support those living with the condition, FACTS is taking an important step towards bettering our understanding of BPD/EUPD – helping us to improve the support available.”

Ali Modaresi, Clinical Consultant Psychologist at CNWL NHS Trust, said: “Unpaid carers are too often overlooked, and as a result, they're frequently left without the support they need. That's why the FACTS conference matters. It not only improves understanding of BPD/EUPD, but gives carers and families a sense of community, connection, and practical support.”

ENDS

###

About FACTS

FACTS is a unique, carer-led training programme designed to support the friends and families of people with 'Borderline Personality Disorder' (BPD) or 'Emerging/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder' (EUPD). Supported by Anna Freud, FACTS is delivered by both mental health professionals and volunteer carers.

Learn more about FACTS: https://www.annafreud.org/training/health-and-social-care/families-and-carers-training-and-support-programme/

Media Relations
Families and Carers Training and Support
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.