Dr Kathy Weston

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 mental health (rather than simply treating difficulties) is to become a real priority.

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 class as a whole. We discover that given that almost 25% of UK children having EAL, this is a subject that requires much more research.

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.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks with experienced teacher and educational consultant, Barry Cooper, about the greatest untapped resource of all schools; parents. Get some top tips about the best ways to engage parents, build sincere and lasting partnerships and improve outcomes for all of your pupils.

Our researcher of the month, Simon Brett, talks to Dr Weston about his project which assesses the impact of using a specific type of therapy to treat teen depression in school settings. They discuss the barriers to conventional treatment for teenagers, the way that Brief Behavioural Activation therapy works and the important role that parents can play. 

Episode 53 - In this episode, Dr Weston talks with Canadian researchers Dr William Pickett and Dr Wendy Craig about their findings linking intense and problematic social media use with cyberbullying, particularly for girls. They discuss the findings of their research and give advice to parents on how to educate children about digital literacy, to lower the risk of being bullied, or bullying, online. They also talk about the impact of COVID-19 on social media habits and sexting.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Peter Worley about how to cultivate philosophical enquiry in children. They discuss what philosophy is, what sort of questions will get our children thinking philosophically and what the benefits are, both at home and at school. Peter, who is CEO of The Philosophy Foundation, outlines his own dialectical method for teaching children philosophy in classrooms

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to gaming and family technology expert Andy Robertson. They discuss all of the positive learning opportunities that games can offer and the optimal ways to engage with children about their digital world. They explore games which promote critical thinking, empathy and better communication and examine how the skills developed through gaming can translate to other scenarios.

Episode 49 - In this special episode, guest presenter Jacqui Oatley MBE turns the tables and interviews Kathy to help parents get a grip on the key issues of parenting through the pandemic. They discuss ways to juggle home-learning and home-working, ways to bring routine into your daily life and how to support children through the challenges of lockdown. Jacqui Oatley MBE is a sports presenter, well known as the first female commentator on BBC One's Match of the Day.  She is an FA qualified football coach, an ambassador for Women in Football and a committee member of the Football Writers' Association.

Episode 50 - In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Professor Michael Lamb about building parental confidence and self-esteem. They discuss how both biological and step-parents can improve and maintain healthy, strong and loving bonds with their children, as well as focusing on the benefits of an authoritative parenting style. 

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Professor Susan Golombok about non-traditional family forms. They discuss the research evidence showing that children from families with same-sex parents, single mothers by choice and families created by assisted reproductive technologies generally thrive, in many cases more so than children from more traditional families.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Dr Michaela James about declining levels of physical activity for teenage girls. They discuss teenagers' thoughts about school PE lessons and examine what the research shows would increase participation. Listen out for some great, simple ways that you can nurture a love of physical activity in your children, which, if sustained, will have long term physical and mental health benefits. 

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Professor Helen Dodd about the crucial importance of play in children's development. The examine the relationship between adventurous play and anxiety and discuss how parents can facilitate effective play. As a leading expert on children's mental health, Professor Dodd also describes the main features of anxiety and when parents should worry.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Dr Jeffrey DeMarco about how we should engage with our children about the online world. They discuss the importance of teaching skills such as digital literacy, fact-checking and critical thinking, to ensure that children can access the amazing resources on the internet safely. They also talk about online radicalisation and sexual exploitation, and how to protect children against these threats.

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Professor Siobhan O'Neill about her research into mental health in Northern Ireland. They explore issues relating to trans-generational trauma, suicide and self-harm, as well as discussing all the simple and effective things that parents can do to build children's resilience. 

In this episode, Dr Weston talks to Dr Hope Christie about her research into the impact of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on parents, and the ways in which experiences of trauma affect their parenting and the wider family dynamic. The message is one of admiration for how parents suffering from PTSD manage to cope with the many everyday challenges that they face as parents. Trauma, and its impact, needs to be better understood by all of us. In learning more, we give ourselves and our children a better chance of thriving if and when it ever affects our own family.