Creating safe body image environments for children

In this episode, host of the Emerging Minds Families podcast Alicia Ranford talks with Dr Zali Yager, an internationally recognised expert on body image with a background in health and physical education. Dr Yager and 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt, co-founded The Embrace Collective, a non-for-profit organisation striving to enhance body appreciation, so everyone can live in a world free of judgement and shame about their bodies. Zali and Taryn also co-authored the Embrace Kids book, and Dr Yager was the expert adviser on the Embrace Kids documentary. 

Zali and Alicia discuss how families, educators and practitioners can help create safer body image environments for children and young people. 

Content warning: This podcast includes themes of disordered eating and body image. If listening to this podcast brings up any difficult feelings for you, please seek help from your mental health professional or one of these crisis or support services.

In this episode, you will learn:

• what research tells us about children and body image and how the depiction of their body image changes over time [05:36]
• some advice for discussing body image with the families and children in your care [24:19]
• about what’s important for educators and practitioners to understand regarding the research on what we know about children, young people and body image [25:57]
• about some changes in the Australian Curriculum regarding food, nutrition and body image. [28:10]

Further information and resources:

Body image resources

The Embrace Hub

The Embrace Collective

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