Families and Carers Training and Support Programme (FACTS)

Programme overview

The Families and Carers Training and Support Programme (FACTS) is a short course designed to support the friends and families of people with ‘Borderline Personality Disorder” (BDP) or Emerging/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder’ (EUPD).

At FACTS, we are aware that the terms BPD or EUPD can be disliked, and people can find the diagnosis stigmatising. In some mental health services, particularly those supporting younger people, other terms may be used, such as Complex Emotional Needs, Emotional Dysregulation with Impulsivity, or BPD traits.

The FACTS programme has been successful because it brings together a cohesive group of people (carers, families and friends) who are all supporting a person with similar mental health problems. The person may have been given a diagnosis, they may not be receiving any support from mental health services, or their clinician may have simply said, for example, “we think they may have ‘emotional dysregulation with impulsivity but it is too early to make a diagnosis at this point”.

It is very important that carers and families are able to find FACTS via a search engine, or by referral. Despite their contention, we use the ‘shorthand’ terms BPD and/or EUPD for the purpose of FACTS as these terms are commonly recognised.

Overview and history

We know it can sometimes be difficult to live with, or care for, someone who has BPD/EUPD. Families and friends can struggle to cope with their own feelings, leaving them traumatised, disempowered and unsure how best to help their loved one.

Support and advice is rarely available and when it is, is often confusing and unhelpful.

The purpose of FACTS is to improve family and carer wellbeing and to teach skills to help carers cope with their situation.

FACTS was developed at Anna Freud in response to a request from a carer, who was looking for support for carers of people with BPD/EUPD. She was inspired by a book she had read; ‘Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder, A Family Guide to Healing and Change, by Valerie Porr, founder of the New York-based organisation, TARA4BPD (Treatment and Research Advancements National Association for Personality Disorder). In her book, Valerie Porr teaches effective coping behaviours and interpersonal skills which reduce family conflict and increase trust.

Professor Anthony Bateman from Anna Freud, a leading expert in BPD, worked with two carers from Harrow to create FACTS. The aim was to develop an evidence-based course, led by trained carers of people with BPD/EUPD, to help families and friends to cope with their own feelings, teach them about BPD/EUPD and help them support their relative or friend.

A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of FACTS was run at Anna Freud. This showed that the programme improved carers’ overall wellbeing, improved family functioning and helped carers feel more confident in supporting their family member or friend.

FACTS is interactive, giving carers the opportunity to practice their skills and to develop their understanding of the difference they can make to their lives and those of their loved ones with BPD/EUPD.

The key to the success of FACTS is the involvement of carers with lived experience of supporting someone with BPD/EUPD to teach skills to improve communication, rebuild relationships within the family, and to help families cope with their situation.

FACTS Training

Aims of the training

FACTS works by bringing small groups of families and friends together for five two-hour sessions. During the sessions participants learn new skills to help them cope with their family situation. FACTS is a training course and is not a clinical intervention.

Participants learn:

• More about BPD/EUPD

• Skills to help them rebuild relationships and reduce conflict

• How best to support their relative or friend

• How to cope with their feelings

The topics covered include:

• Introduction to BPD/EUPD

• Mindfulness and Emotion Management

• Mentalizing

• Validation

• Problem solving between us and the person with BPD/EUPD

Who is the training suitable for?

FACTS courses are normally delivered to family members and friends, who are supporting a person with BPD/EUPD aged 17 and over. Participants must be aged 18 and over to participate in the training.

Although FACTS courses have previously been aimed at carers supporting those aged 17 years or above, the material could also be used with a group of parents or carers of younger people where health professionals are considering diagnoses such as Emotional Dysregulation with Impulsivity, or BPD traits, etc.

The person with BPD/EUPD does not need to be receiving specialist support from any mental health service for their carers to participate.

The participants’ notes and slides for the first FACTS module, ‘Introduction to BPD’ are available below.

The participants' notes for Module 1, Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder are available here.

The participants' slides for Module 1, Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder are available here.

The full FACTS course materials for the other modules are only made available to registered leaders and those who participate in FACTS.

The other modules are:

• Mindfulness and Managing Emotions

• Mentalizing

• Validation

• ‘Problem Solving between us and the person with BPD’

If you want to attend a FACTS course, please see this list of providers and contact the provider closes to you.

You can view the FACTS flyer here.

Who is the training delivered by?

FACTS courses may be delivered by:

Mental health professionals who have a knowledge and understanding of BPD/EUPD and Mentalization can co-deliver FACTS with volunteer carers who have lived experience of supporting someone with BPD/EUPD

Approved carer graduates of previous FACTS courses with support from a local mental health service and the FACTS Steering Group

The carers’ lived experience gives them a special understanding of a relationship with someone with BPD/EUPD.

The volunteer carer-leaders have no specific clinical or professional qualifications, and do not have any clinical responsibility towards participants or their families and friends, nor for how carers use the skills, or for any subsequent events.

Should FACTS Leaders have any serious concerns about the wellbeing of participants or their families, they will discuss these directly with the participants, and encourage them to access appropriate help, for example from their GP or mental health service.