Dr Kathy Weston

In this podcast, Dr Weston is joined by Laura Barrett, author of a powerful and moving new book which chronicles her experiences when, shortly after birth, her third son was diagnosed with the life-limiting genetic condition, cystic fibrosis. It is a powerful and inspiring read, imparting a strong message of hope for any parent going through a similar situation. In this interview, published to coincide with Cystic Fibrosis Week (13th-19th June), Laura describes her coping mechanisms, gives us some insight into raising a child who has cystic fibrosis (her baby has grown into a fun-loving, sport mad young boy, raring to start school in September) and provides some general advice on coping with diagnoses and long hospital stays, regardless of the specific condition. 

Our researcher of the month, Dr Ola Demkowicz, talks to Dr Weston about teenage girls' mental health. We know that girls and women tend to be at greater risk of low mood, anxiety and depression, and that over the last decade or so, more girls are reporting symptoms of low mood and anxiety. Dr Demkowicz joins us to discuss her recent paper which investigates risk factors and cumulative risk exposure in relation to emotional symptoms. Find out more about risk and protective factors as well as what schools can do to cultivate better pupil wellbeing.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Patrice Bain, educator, speaker and author, about her new book A Parent's Guide to Powerful Teaching. In it, they discuss some of the science behind how children learn and Patrice outlines practical and simple strategies that parents can use at home with their children to optimise learning. You'll also learn more about why it's important to discuss learning processes with children, how to help with revision and retrieval and how to avoid cognitive overload. 

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with suicide prevention and postvention expert, Dr Chris Bowden. They discuss the importance of cultivating emotional literacy, developing coping mechanisms and managing impulsive behaviours before considering how schools can best respond in the sad event of a pupil dying by suicide. 

Our researcher of the month, PhD student Emre Deniz, talks to Dr Weston about sibling bullying. They discuss how common this phenomenon is, how often it goes unnoticed and what it involves. Learn more about predictive and protective factors and optimal ways that parents can respond to bullying in the home. Emre also specialises in sibling relationships for neurodiverse children and he outlines how parents can proactively encourage positive sibling bonds for children with autism.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, founder of the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, a drug and alcohol education charity that aims to support young people make safe choices about drugs and alcohol and reduce harm. Fiona and her husband Tim set up the charity in response to the death of their son Daniel, having taken ecstasy. Fiona gives factual information about drugs that are commonly used among teens, focuses on social media as a new and developing drugs marketplace and provides numerous actionable tips which focus on good communication with young people about this challenging issue. We also find out about Fiona's books and website, which are packed full of useful, evidence-based resources.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with developmental psychologist, Dr Rory Devine. They focus on what we know about how young children develop control over their own thoughts and actions (their ‘executive functions’), and how they acquire the ability to tune in to the thoughts, feelings, and desires of others (their 'theory of mind'), and the positive consequences these skills can have on children’s social lives, academic success and mental health. This fascinating interview will arm any parent or educator with simple ways to promote the development of these valuable life skills. Teachers can also learn more about a fantastic free tool to assess children's school readiness.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Karri Gillespie-Smith about the experiences of children with intellectual disabilities and their families in the post-Covid period. They discuss Dr Gillespie-Smith's Road to Recovery project, which aims to build a clear picture of the challenges faced by families with children with intellectual disabilities and how best to support them in the recovery phase of Covid. 

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Kathryn Bates about neurodiversity - the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning within the human species. Listen now to learn about helpful resources for parents and educators, useful classroom practices, the benefits of diagnosis and other key things that all parents should know. 

Our Researchers of the Month, Dr Miriam Rahali and Professor Sonia Livingstone, talk to Dr Weston about their recent report, which examines the impact of influencer culture and embedded marketing on children. Given that 95% of YouTube videos aimed at children aged 8 and under contain advertising, and that 97% of 5-15 year olds use video-sharing platforms (with 57% spending 2.5 hours per day watching), they address the non-traditional marketing opportunities open to influencers and the impact they can have, before turning to recommendations and advice.  

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Vanessa Kurdi about cultivating positive relationships between pupils and teachers and the impact this can have on their learning. They discuss the need for empathy in our interactions with young people and the ways in which we can nudge them towards feeling intrinsically motivated to learn.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Melissa Oldham about trends in youth drinking. They discuss whether research shows that giving underage teens alcohol at home is a good idea, examine how to have positive conversations with teens about alcohol and consider the importance of what parents model, when it comes to drinking. They also touch on school resources around alcohol consumption.

Our researcher of the month, Dr Mimi Tatlow-Golden, talks to Dr Weston about the fundamental role of fun in the development of children's self-concept and self-esteem. Her research shows that, far from being a frivolous extra, fun is at the very core of what matters to young people most. 

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Eva Musby, author of 'Anorexia and Other Eating Disorders: How to Help Your Child Eat Well and Be Well', about her experiences and the role that parents need to play in the treatment and recovery of young people with eating disorders. Eva brings an important message of hope to all parents going through this challenging experience. 

Our researcher of the month, Dr Rachel Nesbit, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper which explores the importance of adventurous play to children's mental health and development. She talks about barriers to play and gives specific advice on how adventurous play can be successfully facilitated in school settings.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Suzi Godson, founder of the MeeToo mental help app, an NHS endorsed app, where young people aged 11-25 can seek help anonymously and receive reliable, age-appropriate and moderated support and advice from peers or trained counsellors.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Jen Gale, author of 'The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide', a book packed full of practical advice about how to make small changes to our actions and mindset which will make a big difference to the world around us. Listen for tips about Christmas and simple ways that we can significantly reduce our environmental impact.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Professor Christia Spears Brown about the impact of bias, particularly in the context of race and gender. They discuss how to identify our own implicit biases, outline practical strategies for reducing levels of bias in the home and consider how to protect young people at risk of being targeted by bias. 

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Maria Strauss, partner at law firm Farrer & Co, about how schools should respond to the recent Ofsted rapid review into sexual abuse in schools. Maria outlines how schools can implement effective change and references many relevant resources and reports that can help.

Our researcher of the month, Professor Charlotte Markey, talks to Dr Weston about her forthcoming book, 'Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys'. Due for publication in April, it helps boys to understand and appreciate their bodies as they become young men and to navigate their way through inaccurate health/diet information and unrealistic body ideals portrayed in the media. We caught up with Professor Markey to find out more.