Dr Kathy Weston's Get a Grip! Parenting Podcast

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with brain scientist, Dr Duncan Astle, about how to consolidate learning in our memory and finds out some actionable and evidence-based revision tips. They debunk some common neuromyths and explore why we need to change the way we think about intervening to help children who struggle with learning.

Our researcher of the month, Dr Jo Van Herwegen, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper, which examines the prevalence of neuromyths surrounding common neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly among educators. They discuss the detrimental impact that neuromyths can have on young people and why it's important for parents and school staff to understand more about neuromyths and for teachers to...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with sociologist, Dr Katherine Davies, about her research into the nature of family relationships. They talk about Dr Davies' recent project examining the impact of Brexit on family life and delve into her work on the complexities of sibling relationships and the impact that brothers and sisters can have on our sense of identity.

Our researcher of the month, Nora Trompeter, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper, which examines the differences in eating disorder symptoms between teens who are in treatment and teens who are not. Along with her findings, they discuss the importance of mental health literacy, the wide-ranging impact of poor body image and the differences in motivations for disordered eating behaviours betw...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Sarah Dowey about implementing metacognitive teaching practices. Sarah is a secondary English teacher and is currently studying for her PhD, which focuses on teacher understanding and awareness of the use of metacognition and self-efficacy in face to face teaching. They discuss effectively modelling techniques, dispel some myths about metacognition and referen...

Our researchers of the month, Dr Hope Christie and Dr Lucy Hiscox, talk to Dr Weston about their recent paper, which examines the impact that lockdowns had on parents. This 'rapid review' of 32 other studies was commissioned by SAGE and the Department for Education and will inform government policy. They discuss the various harms experienced by parents and interventions that might be able to mitig...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with memory and metacognition expert, Julie Kettlewell, about the importance of teaching children metacognitive strategies and the potential impact on their educational outcomes. They clarify exactly what metacognition is, have an in depth discussion about best practice in the classroom and outline practical tips for teachers to employ. Julie talks us through vario...

Our researcher of the month, Gates Cambridge Scholar, Stepheni Uh, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper, which examines how teenagers at greatest risk of self-harming could be identified almost a decade before they self-harm. They discuss some distinct profiles of young people most likely to self-harm and look at significant risk factors, including a history of psychopathology, low self-estee...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Professor Tamsin Ford CBE about mental health post-pandemic. They discuss some emerging patterns impacting on the wellbeing of children and young people and focus on strategies for creating a mentally healthy school environment for both staff and pupils.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with psychologist and neurodiversity consultant, Dr Seonaid Anderson, about the development of tics in childhood. They discuss the features of tics and optimal ways for parents to respond if their child develops one. They talk about pathways for clinical care and focus on a dramatic increase in new tics presenting in teenage girls during the pandemic.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks to Chief Constable Simon Bailey about the culture of violence against women and girls, particularly in schools. They outline the key things that parents and schools should do to cultivate open and honest discussion around issues of sexual harassment, sexting and predatory behaviour online.

In this special Father's Day podcast, Dr Weston talks with Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonalds UK, about his biggest job - being a dad. They talk about optimal parenting styles, help-seeking, finding a good work/life balance and how many workplace skills can be transferred to family life and parenting.

Our researcher of the month, Dr Serena Bauducco, talks to Dr Weston about her recent research project, trialing a universal sleep intervention in Swedish secondary schools. They talk about the importance of sticking to bedtime routines as children grow older and the protective impact that whole-class sleep interventions can have.  

Please be aware that this interview contains adult themes and is not suitable for younger ears. The discussion also addresses themes such as sexual harassment and domestic violence. In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Fiona Vera-Gray about the need for change in social discourse around women and girls' everyday experiences of sexual harassment. They discuss early teenage romantic relatio...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Dasha Nicholls about all the things that parents should understand when it comes to eating disorders. She gives us advice on how to keep a watchful, balanced and empathetic perspective on our children's eating behaviours and tells us all we need to know about the main types of eating disorders and their triggers.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Lucy Foulkes, adolescent mental health expert, about her new book, Losing Our Minds , and how public discourse surrounding mental health means that we talk about it a great deal, but perhaps without the understanding needed to really get to grips with its complexities. This wide-ranging interview examines the impact of covid, the gender gap and the role of...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Professor Robin Banerjee about the connections between peer relationships, kindness and wellbeing, especially at points of transition or change in our children's lives. They discuss initiatives to help prioritise wellbeing at the point of entry to secondary school and university, consider systemic social changes that might be needed to really promote wellbeing...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks to cannabis use disorder expert, Rachel Lees, to find out the facts about teenagers and cannabis. They discuss what important things all parents should know about the impact of cannabis on teenagers and how to recognise when use might be becoming problematic. Listen to Rachel's tips on how best to discuss cannabis with young people who already use it, and preventat...

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Naomi Flynn about what makes a great teacher of children with English as an additional language (EAL). They discuss the significance of assessing English proficiency, fantastic classroom practice and the importance of getting to know and welcoming each individual child and their family.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks with Professor David Gadd about domestic abuse and violence against women and girls. Harnessing Professor Gadd's extensive knowledge of domestic abuse prevention education, they discuss the best ways for parents and schools to teach boys (and girls) about good relationships and examine issues of consent and boundaries.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Praveetha Patalay about the evidence surrounding young people's mental health in the UK. They focus on Dr Patalay's work in schools, where she has found that having a safe school climate impacts significantly on young people's mental health outcomes. They discuss the gender gap and address wider societal questions which should be pursued if cultivating good...

Our researcher of the month, Dr Jerica Radez, talks to Dr Weston about barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for teens with anxiety or depression. They discuss Dr Radez's recent paper, examining how parents, schools and GPs can best encourage adolescents to seek help when they need it and Dr Radez tells us about her new simple screening tool, for use in any setting.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Professor Victoria Murphy about the misconceptions surrounding children with English as an additional language (EAL) and how teachers and parents can better support emergent bilingualism. They discuss the main stages of children's second language development and address how bilingualism should be considered a huge benefit, both to the child and to their school...

Our researcher of the month, Dr Jesus (Jess) Alfonso D. Datu talks to Dr Weston about the importance of teaching children to be kind and the far-reaching psychological and social consequences of kindness. They discuss Dr Datu's recent paper which examined whether fostering kindness in young people could promote media literacy.

Dr Anna Conway Morris returns to our podcast series to discuss life as a child psychiatrist during the pandemic and the impact of lockdown on young people's mental health, social development and body image. She talks about digital literacy, pornography and self-harm, and gives us her top tips for future-proofing our children.