Dr Kathy Weston

Our latest Researcher of the Month, Dr Caoimhe Dempsey, chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her new paper, which focuses on how the different relationships that young children have with important adults in their lives interact with each other, and how these relationships contribute to children’s school adjustment. The interview is packed with useful tips for parents and educators alike and outlines interesting new findings about the power of positive child-teacher relationships for children who might have a conflictual relationship with their mum (specifically) at home.

Christine Cunniffe, Principal of LVS Ascot in Berkshire, talks to Tooled Up about her approach to lesson observations and building school culture: what makes an emotionally healthy school where there is an optimal relationship between staff and students? Christine is the author of 'Transforming School Culture Through Lesson Observations' (Routledge, 2021).

Jessica Bondy and Dr Pienaar talk to us about new charity Words Matter, which aims to end the verbal abuse of children by the adults around them. Find out more about the prevalence of verbal abuse and get some top tips for how we can build children up, rather than knock them down.

Dr Sue Roffey chats to us about her new books, ASPIRE to Wellbeing and Learning for All in Early Years and Primary and ASPIRE to Wellbeing and Learning for All in Secondary Settings. A must listen for all educators and parents, Dr Roffey describes a framework for creating learning environments where all pupils can thrive and make progress in learning, and where wellbeing for everyone is at the heart of every school.

Understanding, responding to and supporting young people who self-harm is vital. Friends are typically the first and sometimes the only source of support sought by teens who self-harm. For young people, this can be a challenging and pressured role, which many may feel unequipped to deal with. We spoke to Dr Delfina Bilello about her work which explores the perspectives and experiences of these friends. Tune in for her great advice for friends themselves and her top tips for those parents and educators supporting the supporters.

Board-Certified paediatrician, Dr Joel “Gator” Warsh’s new book, 'Parenting at Your Child’s Pace: The Integrative Paediatrician’s Guide to the First Three Years' is due for publication in August 2024. Tune in to find out about the seeds of wellbeing and get Dr Warsh's perspective on harmoniously bridging the gap between the “right way” of doing things, and the way that is right for your unique, individual child - whilst remaining reasonable and safe. Topics addressed include sleep, screen time, diet and developmental milestones.

We are joined by five members of OPTIMA, a research programme which tests whether a new mobile phone app called STEPS can help families of children awaiting clinical assessment for conditions such as ADHD or autism. STEPS (which is still being trialled) does not replace clinical support, but gives parents access to additional help while they are on the waitlist. Any families in this situation will want to find out more about this eight module app, hear insights from parents who have lived experience of the assessment process and get some top tips for managing challenges.

Our Researcher of the Month, Dr Kasia Kostyrka-Allchorne, chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her new paper which reviews the evidence on how young people with clinically significant mental health difficulties engage with the digital world. She discusses some emergent themes and explores how teachers and parents can best support children and teens to maintain a healthy and beneficial digital diet.

In this interview, Professor Claire Hughes, a developmental psychologist at Cambridge University, talks to Dr Weston about her forthcoming book, The Psychology of Starting School. Learn more about school readiness, early friendships and what parents and teachers can do to impact positively on this period of transition.

Does it matter if your toddler plays games on the iPad? Should very young children be using digital devices at all? What impact does parents' screen use have on our young children? How much screen time is too much for babies and young children? Dr Andy Ribner joins us to bust some myths and focus on what the available research evidence really shows.

Discover the science behind the sticks as Dr Marie-Stephanie Cahart talks about her fascinating work which explores the amazing impact that learning to drum has on brain structures and behaviours, particularly for autistic young people.

In this must listen interview for any early years educators, Dr Gillian West chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about a fantastic new oral language enrichment and intervention programme for children delivered the year before they enter formal education. NELI Preschool is designed around the principles of shared book reading and guided play, and aims to improve vocabulary, develop narrative skills, encourage active listening and build confidence in speaking. Find out about extremely promising results from a randomised control trial which assessed the programme's efficacy, learn more about the importance of language development for children's attainment and wellbeing, and get some top tips on supporting children optimally.

This inspiring conversation between Dr Weston and five time karate world champion, Professor Geoff Thompson, takes us from Geoff's childhood and sporting career, to his work at major sporting games. He explains his desire for every community and organisation to sign up to the Youth Charter, an organisation, founded by Geoff, which aims to provide sport, art, cultural and digital activity to all young people.

Our latest Researcher of the Month, Dr Julie Moote, chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her newly published paper, 'More is More: Exploring the Relationship Between Young People’s Experiences of School-Based Career Education, Information, Advice and Guidance at Age 14–16 and Wider Adult Outcomes at Age 21–22 in England'. Dr Moote's findings will be of great interest to any school wanting to understand more about the benefits of careers education and the best ways to embed great practice. The conversation ends with some fantastic tips for parents to use at home when talking about careers with children.

In this episode, Dr Meinou Simmons provides some tips for both parents and educators and answers some parent questions on children's mental health, focusing on the importance of sleep, connection and support networks.

Dr Kumar chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her recent recent research, which examined whether there are differences in the messages that preschool teachers send girls and boys about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Listen for lots of tips on fostering scientific curiosity and interest for ALL young children.

Researcher of the Month, Dr Mariya Stoilova, joins Dr Cassie Rhodes to talk about the efficacy of parental control tools, why families use them and whether they achieve what they claim to. This interview is packed with practical tips and food for thought for parents with children of all ages.

Charles Fadel, founder and chairman of the Center for Curriculum Redesign, and global education thought leader, chats with Dr Weston about his new book: 'Education for the Age of AI: Why, What and How should students learn for the age of Artificial Intelligence?'. Charles talks us through the positive role that AI can play in education and the holistic changes that are needed in the system over the coming years.

Researcher of the month, Dr Francesca Solmi, discusses her new paper, which looks at the links between high BMI, body dissatisfaction and depression in children. Whilst she talks through some concerning findings, the interview is ultimately one of hope, providing numerous things that we can do to help children and young people have better body image and, hopefully, better mental health.

In this interview, we hear from Professor Michael Thomas and Dr Simon Green, who have just published a fascinating book called '⁠How the Brain Works: What Psychology Students Need to Know⁠'. Written in a playful style and illustrated throughout, it is designed to support students as they embark on the beginning of their psychology degree, but we think that it is extremely accessible and highly recommend it for everyone! In this enlightening conversation, Dr Weston finds out how our understanding of brain science can be practically applied in our everyday parenting.