Getting informed on body growth

WORKSHOPS designed to educate children and pre-teens about body safety and puberty are coming to Buninyong Community House.

Local teacher Claire Morris is leading her Get Informed series of education sessions from this month, to help young people understand more about their changing bodies as they grow.

“I’m running body safety sessions for boys and girls aged seven to nine, and puberty workshops for the girls in the nine and 10, and 11 and 12 age groups,” she said.

“Body safety is all about body consent, knowing the body parts, and understanding that from their head to their toes, what they say goes.

“The puberty sessions cover physical changes, what to expect, how to manage them, and how the female reproductive system and menstruation work.”

Ms Morris said the interactive workshops are full of talking, laughing, and playing, so the children can feel safe, relaxed, and ask questions.

“I’ve found in all the health programs I’ve run in schools that the kids always want more than what we can give them within the allocated time, and there’s so much to teach them.

“I find it fun to see how they respond, particularly the girls. I never want them to feel like they’re an audience in a class,” she said.

“I’d like to encourage young people and parents to start these important conversations at home.”

Visit getinformed.net.au for more information. Ms Morris can host a maximum of 20 children in each series of workshops. Organisations interested in hosting her can make contact.