As families across the south west get used to the school break and warmer summer weather, the thoughts of many will be turning to holidays.

For some young people, this may lead to worries about being ‘beach-body ready’.

Last year, the NSPCC’s Childline service delivered more than 4,000 counselling sessions to young people across the country who were worried about body image or eating disorders.

The highest number of contacts received on this topic came during the month of August, and the majority of counselling sessions about these problems were given to girls.

We understand that the summer holidays can be a difficult time for young people struggling with their body image or relationship with food, and Childline hears regularly from children who feel under pressure to look a certain way, lose weight or wear more revealing clothing.

One 17-year-old girl said: “I constantly list things I hate about my looks to myself.

“No one’s ever called me pretty, other than my girlfriends and my mum.

“I've heard dudes mock me in class which makes me feel like I really am ugly and it's not just in my head.

“Sometimes, I worry I’ll never be with someone romantically, and I’ll just be alone forever.”

Some compared themselves to their friends, siblings and people on social media, felt guilty about eating ‘bad’ foods or eating at all.

If you are worried that a child in your life is struggling with their body image, you can support them by reminding them that how they look is only part of who they are and that their personality, achievements and the way they behave is important too.

Help them understand that the pictures they see on TV, in magazines, in social media or online are often altered and airbrushed, so what they are seeing isn’t always real.

If they don’t feel ready to speak to you about how they are feeling, any child can speak to one of our trained counsellors over the phone on 0800 1111, via email or on a one-to-one chat on the Childline website, where they can also use the service’s moderated message boards to get support from their peers.

Emma Motherwell is the NSPCC local campaigns manager for the south west and Channel Islands.