Girls as young as 6 are noticing that they want to lose weight.

1 in 5 girls are not raising their hands in class because of fear of how they look. 66% of children feel bad about their bodies most of the time.

Unfortunately, body image disturbances are on the rise, and children who have a negative body image are getting younger and younger.

Poor body image affects mental health, eating behaviours, and self-esteem and can impact learning and relationships.

As teachers, we are in a prime position to empower our pupils with skills and cognitive strategies that can help foster a more positive body image and self-esteem.

This webinar will teach you effective communication strategies and skills that can encourage children to look at their bodies in a more positive way that promotes mental and physical health.

Bio: Siobhán Hennelly MSc, BEd, DipNT, SpDipED. 
I'm passionate about teaching children to appreciate and respect all their bodies can do for them. Witnessing the damaging effects of diet culture on people's body image and self-esteem, I'm on a mission to spread the message that there's no such thing as a 'good' or 'better' body. Health should be inclusive and accessible to all. Unfortunately, in our thin-obsessed world, health often has a narrow definition.

I work as a primary school teacher, currently teaching first class as part of a job share this year. I qualified as a personal trainer while travelling and working in Australia and on returning to Ireland qualified as a nutritional therapist while teaching. I worked predominantly in weight loss with female clients and soon became disillusioned at the messaging and ‘advice’ that was being handed out to women- including advice I had been led to believe would improve a woman’s health. .