Able to Care

In this powerful solo episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker explores why shame—while still commonly used to manage behaviour in homes, classrooms, and care settings—often does more harm than good. From outdated scripts to emotional reactions, we dive into how shame suppresses learning, damages trust, and diminishes self-esteem in children and adults alike.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or carer, this episode offers practical insights on how to shift away from shame-based responses and towards compassionate, constructive behaviour support.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Carers Card UK, the UK’s number one carers card offering discounts, support, and community for paid and unpaid carers.

✨ For less than the price of a box of chocolates a year, members get:

👉 Get your Carers Card here:

📖 Targeting the Positive: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Supporting Challenging Behaviours by Andy Baker

Shame doesn’t teach — it suppresses: Labelling children or adults as “naughty” or “bad” can damage their self-esteem and block emotional growth.

Short-term compliance isn’t long-term learning: Shame may stop behaviour in the moment, but it doesn’t foster understanding, empathy, or reflection.

Teach through connection, not condemnation: Use natural consequences, curiosity, and reflection to guide behaviour positively and sustainably.

00:00 – Why calling a child “naughty” can be harmful

This episode is a must-listen for:

You’ll walk away with practical ways to support behaviour through empathy, growth mindset, and restorative connection—instead of outdated shame-based tools.

📲 Instagram: @AbleTraining

🎧 If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review. Let’s create a world where behaviour is understood—not shamed.

In this second episode of the our third season, host Andy Baker is joined by Jill Quinn MBE, founder and CEO of Dementia Forward, a Yorkshire-based charity that has grown from a small, passionate team into a nationally recognised organisation supporting nearly 5,000 families affected by dementia.

Together, Andy and Jill explore how grassroots action, community values, and wraparound support are shaping a new standard for dementia care—and how Able Training and Dementia Forward are partnering to raise awareness and push for meaningful change.

Jill’s journey from retail manager to founder of an award-winning dementia charity

The realities of starting small but thinking big—and why local impact matters

The stigma and misconceptions around dementia, especially in younger people

Why early support and education can change the entire trajectory of a diagnosis

The importance of personalised care, meaningful activities, and ongoing emotional support

The story behind the You & Me Campaign and the growing movement for Young Onset Dementia

Details of the National Young Onset Dementia Conference at Elland Road Stadium

How volunteers, carers, and teachers all play a vital role in supporting those with dementia

Why Jill believes the charity sector needs more confidence, collaboration, and creativity

The launch of Hat Day during Dementia Action Week—and how you can get involved

✅ Awareness is prevention. Families that connect with support earlier are less likely to experience crisis—and more likely to thrive.

✅ Young onset dementia is often overlooked. A lack of national data, strategy, and targeted care leaves many families unsupported. Jill shares how Dementia Forward is leading the charge to change this.

✅ Local support, national model. Dementia Forward’s wraparound service—from diagnosis to end of life—offers a powerful example of how community-first care can scale.

✅ You don’t need to be a national organisation to make national impact. Jill’s message to small charities is simple: keep going, keep sharing, and don’t underestimate the power of what you’re doing.

✅ Partnership is powerful. The new collaboration between Able Training and Dementia Forward aims to increase access to training, raise awareness, and create a stronger network of support for families, professionals, and volunteers alike.

🎩 Hat Day – “Don’t Keep Dementia Under Your Hat”

🎶 The You & Me Campaign

🏫 Centre of Excellence for Young Onset Dementia

🧠 Dementia Forward Website: https://www.dementiaforward.org.uk

☎️ Dementia Forward Helpline: 03300 578592

📘 Andy’s Book: Targeting the Positive with Behaviours That Challenge

🧰 Able Training Courses: click here

Whether you’re a carer, teacher, parent, or just someone who wants to better understand dementia—you’re part of this movement. Share your thoughts, wear a hat, start a conversation, and help us make care better for everyone.

📲 Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to help more people discover the podcast.

🎧 Able to Care Podcast – Season 3 is here, and we’re just getting started.

In this powerful solo episode, host Andy Baker tackles an experience so many carers, parents, teachers and support workers know too well—but often don’t have a name for: compassion fatigue.

You may have heard of burnout. But what happens when it’s not the workload, it’s the emotional toll? When your ability to care feels like it’s vanishing—even though you haven’t stopped caring?

Andy breaks down:

What compassion fatigue is (and how it differs from burnout)

The emotional warning signs to look out for in yourself or others

Why those in caring, teaching, and parenting roles are particularly vulnerable

What to do when your emotional tank is empty

You’ll hear practical strategies for recovery, from 2-minute decompression techniques to setting boundaries and building trusted support systems. This episode isn’t just for professionals—it’s for anyone who gives so much of themselves that they sometimes forget to take care of themselves.

Key Topics Covered:

Understanding compassion fatigue vs burnout

Emotional numbness, disconnection, and overreaction

Vulnerable roles: carers, parents, teachers, and helpers

Warning signs to watch for in yourself and others

Simple daily rituals to protect your emotional health

How to reclaim your energy, empathy, and hope

Quote of the Episode:

🎧 Listen if you’re:

A parent feeling guilty for snapping

A teacher wondering why you’re emotionally flat

A carer supporting others but running on empty

Someone who feels like they’ve lost their spark

Wanting to understand how to support someone else who’s struggling

🔗 Useful Links:

Carers Card UK: www.andybaker.xyz

💬 Join the Conversation:

📲 Subscribe to the Able to Care Podcast on your favourite platform and don’t forget to leave a review if this episode resonated with you.

Stay strong. You matter too.

In this powerful season opener, Andy Baker speaks with Dr. Daniel Weisberg to uncover the value of cognitive assessments in understanding and supporting children. Daniel shares real-world insights from his work at CAYP Psychology, a national psychological service supporting children, young people, and families.

This episode is a must-listen for parents, carers, and educators who want to better understand behaviour, unmet needs, and how early assessment can open doors—not just to diagnoses, but to tailored support, greater self-awareness, and better outcomes.

📣 Proudly sponsored by Carers Card UK

[03:35] Meet Dr. Daniel Weisberg and CAYP Psychology

06:30 What is a cognitive assessment?

08:45 The 4 pillars of assessment explained

13:00 When assessments are needed (and when they’re not)

15:40 ADHD, masking, and school stress

18:15 Abstract vs concrete thinking & academic challenges

21:00 Understanding emotional dysregulation in children

24:20 How assessments support EHCP applications

27:05 Advice for teachers working with dysregulated pupils

30:00 Coregulation and the myth of “calm down”

32:45 Tools that help: mood thermometers, 5-point scales

35:20 Finding credible professionals & avoiding bad online advice

38:10 Final thoughts: early support vs wait-and-see

40:00 Where to find more from Daniel and CAYP Psychology

🧠 Key Messages:

✅ Cognitive assessments are not just about diagnosis—they offer clarity, confidence, and tailored strategies for home and school.

🔗 Useful Links:

🧠 CAYP Psychology – National psychological support for children and young people

🛍️ Carers Card UK – Support, ID, discounts, and wellbeing for carers

📘 Targeting the Positive with Behaviours That Challenge – Buy Andy’s book

🧰 AbleHub.uk – Resources and training for caregivers, educators, and parents

📣 Enjoying the Podcast?

If this episode helped you, please share it with another teacher, parent, or carer.

Together, we can build a world where children are understood—and those who care for them are supported.

🎙️ In this solo episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker dives into the topic of negative thinking — why our brains are wired to focus on threats, criticism, and worst-case scenarios, and how we can train ourselves to see the positive.

We all know the feeling: ten compliments in a day, and we still can't stop thinking about that one bit of criticism. But it's not a flaw — it's evolution. Andy explores the science behind our negativity bias, its impact on self-esteem, caregiving, relationships, and behaviour management, and most importantly, how to shift it.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, this episode is a practical guide to rewiring your mindset, boosting your confidence, and supporting others more effectively.

💡 Sponsor Message:

Carers Card UK provides:

Discounts on gyms, days out, tech, clothing, glasses, and more

Access to a wellbeing hub and Carers Circle app

A trusted ID card that lets others know you care – while helping you care for yourself

All for less than the price of a box of chocolates per year.

🧠 Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

🧬 Why Our Brains Are Wired to Spot the Negative

🪞 How Negativity Shapes Self-Esteem

💬 Impact on Relationships and Communication

🔁 Reframing and Realignment

📝 Practical Mindset Tools

🧒 Supportive Feedback in Care and Education

💬 Key Takeaways:

✅ Negativity isn’t weakness — it’s wiring. But it can be challenged.

📚 Further Resources:

Targeting the Positive – Andy’s book on understanding and managing behaviour

Able Hub – Courses and resources for carers, educators and parents: ablehub.uk

⏳ Timestamps:

[00:00] – Why criticism sticks more than praise

📲 Connect with Us!

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🎙️ In this episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker speaks with safeguarding and Prevent specialist Sabera to explore radicalisation, online extremism, and how we can better protect and empower young people.

Together, they unpack what Prevent and Channel really are, how the safeguarding model works, and why early intervention is crucial. They dive deep into online grooming, far-right and incel movements, violent misogyny, and why understanding history, identity, and values matters more than ever.

This conversation is essential for teachers, carers, parents, and anyone supporting young people in today’s fast-changing world.

💡 Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by Carers Card UK – the UK’s leading carers card providing support, discounts, and community for paid and unpaid carers.

Enjoy access to:

Discounts on shopping, gym memberships, days out, glasses, and more

A wellbeing hub and community app

An ID card offering pride, recognition, and access to emergency info

💳 Take care of yourself while you care for others – visit carerscarduk.co.uk/promo-code/abletocare to order yours.

📝 Key Topics Covered:

🔍 What Is Prevent and Channel Really About?

⚖️ Safeguarding, Not Policing:

🧠 Modern Extremism Explained:

🕸️ The Role of Online Platforms:

🌍 Identity, History, and Integration:

📉 The Need for Nuanced Dialogue:

💬 Key Takeaways:

✅ Prevent and Channel are safeguarding tools—not punishment.

📚 Further Resources:

Act Early Campaign

Hope Not Hate

Able Hub – Resources for carers, parents, educators

Targeting the Positive – Andy Baker’s book on behaviour and connection

📲 Connect with Us! 🔗 Instagram: @AbleToCarePodcast

🎧 Subscribe & Share!

🎙️ In this solo episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker unpacks the powerful – and sometimes harmful – role of risk aversion in caregiving, parenting, and education.

From overprotective instincts to the long-term consequences of shielding people from life’s challenges, Andy explores why positive risk-taking is crucial for building confidence, self-esteem, and resilience – whether you’re raising a child or supporting someone in care.

With powerful stories, psychological insights, and practical reflections, this is an essential episode for carers, teachers, and parents alike.

💡 Sponsor Message:

Whether you are a paid or unpaid caregiver, Carers Card UK provides valuable benefits such as:

Discounts on gym memberships, days out, electrical goods, clothing, and more

Access to a wellbeing hub, Carers Circle tool, and a supportive community through their app

An ID card that you can carry with pride

Let others know you care – while taking a little care of yourself.

📝 Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

🚸 What Is Risk Aversion and Why Do We Do It?

🧗 The Value of Positive Risk-Taking

👶 Parenting & Caregiving: Are We Overprotecting?

📉 The Cost of Overprotection

💪 Let Them Fall (Safely)

🏃 Real-Life Examples from Care, Childhood, and Beyond

🔥 Why Stress Isn’t the Enemy

📚 Maslow’s Hierarchy and the Missing Piece: Feeling Alive

🏫 The Playground Study That Changed Everything

💬 Key Takeaways:

✅ Eliminating all risk is impossible – but managing it builds life-long resilience.

📚 Further Resources:

📖 Targeting the Positive with Behaviours That Challenge – Andy’s book on understanding behaviour and managing distress.

🌐 Able Hub – Access resources for carers, parents, and educators at ablehub.uk

🎁 Carers Card UK – Claim your carers card with the Able to Care podcast!

⏳ Timestamps:

[00:00] – Introduction: Are you protecting or preventing?

📲 Connect with Us!

🔗 Instagram: @AbleToCarePodcast

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🎙️ In this episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker speaks with Steve Baron – a social worker, practice educator, and founder of Reframe Wandsworth.

Steve brings his powerful lived and professional experience into a conversation about the realities of growing up in care, being separated from siblings, and the emotional toll of the care system.

Together, Andy and Steve unpack what it really means to be trauma-informed – and why labels, procedures, and tick-box approaches often miss the mark when it comes to actually caring for children.

If you’re a carer, teacher, social worker, or someone who wants to better understand and support care-experienced young people, this is a vital listen.

💡 Sponsor Message:

Whether you are a paid or unpaid caregiver, Carers Card UK provides valuable benefits such as:

Discounts on gym memberships, days out, electrical goods, clothing, and more.

Access to a wellbeing hub, Carers Circle tool, and a supportive community through their app.

An ID card that you can carry with pride.

Let others know you care – while taking a little care of yourself. Visit carerscarduk.co.uk to learn more and order your card today!

📝 Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

🏚️ Growing Up in the Care System:

💔 “Trauma-Informed” Isn’t Just a Buzzword:

🔄 Reframing Social Work and Care:

🛠️ Supporting, Not Saving:

💬 Key Takeaways:

✅ Trauma-informed care starts with curiosity and empathy – not just training.

📚 Further Resources:

Reframe Wandsworth – reframewandsworth.co.uk

⏳ Timestamps:

[00:00] – Introduction: Meet Steve Baron

📲 Connect with Us!

🎧 Subscribe & Share!

In this episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker explores one of the most misunderstood tools in caregiving, parenting, and professional relationships: boundaries.

Are boundaries about control? Far from it. Andy breaks down how healthy boundaries build trust, predictability, and safety, both at home and at work. From the challenges of setting boundaries with loved ones to the importance of consistency in professional care settings, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone supporting others.

Whether you're a carer, parent, teacher, or team leader, this episode will help you see boundaries not as restrictions, but as roadmaps that help everyone navigate relationships more safely and successfully.

💡 Sponsor Message:

This episode is proudly sponsored by Carers Card UK – the UK’s number one carers card offering discounts, support, and community connections for those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.

Whether you're a paid or unpaid caregiver, Carers Card UK provides valuable benefits including:

✅ Discounts on gym memberships, days out, electrical goods, clothing, and glasses.

✅ Access to a wellbeing hub, Carers Circle tool, and a supportive app-based community.

✅ An ID card you can carry with pride that also holds emergency info.

Let others know you care while taking a little care of yourself.

📘 Targeting the Positive – Andy Baker’s book on behaviour and emotional regulation.

📲 Connect with Us!

🔗 Instagram: @AbleToCarePodcast

🔗 LinkedIn: @AbleTraining

🔗 TikTok: AbleHub.uk

🎧 Subscribe & Share!

If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more caregivers, educators, and parents discover how boundaries can improve relationships and reduce burnout.

Let’s create a community that supports and empowers each other.

🎙️ In this episode of the Able to Care Podcast, host Andy Baker speaks with Jeremy Indika – a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and founder of Something to Say.

Jeremy bravely shares his story of being groomed as a child, the confusion and silence that followed, and why so many survivors don’t come forward until much later in life.

Together, Andy and Jeremy explore the myths around abuse, the challenges survivors face when seeking justice, and what carers, teachers, and professionals can do to better support those affected.

Whether you support children, teach, care for others, or want to understand more about trauma and healing, this is an essential listen.

💡 Sponsor Message:

Whether you are a paid or unpaid caregiver, Carers Card UK provides valuable benefits such as:

Discounts on gym memberships, days out, electrical goods, clothing, and more.

Access to a wellbeing hub, Carers Circle tool, and a supportive community through their app.

An ID card that you can carry with pride.

Let others know you care – while taking a little care of yourself. Visit carerscarduk.co.uk to learn more and order your card today!

📝 Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

🔇 Breaking the Silence on Childhood Sexual Abuse:

🧠 Understanding Trauma Responses and Delayed Disclosure:

⚖️ Barriers to Justice & Why Survivors Stay Silent:

🛠️ Supporting Survivors – What We Can Do Better:

💬 Key Takeaways:

✅ Survivors don’t always look or act how you’d expect – many are high-functioning, smiling, and hiding trauma in plain sight.

📚 Further Resources:

Something to Say Project – jeremyindika.com

Able Hub – Access resources for carers, parents, and educators at ablehub.uk

Targeting the Positive – Andy’s book on understanding and managing behaviour

⏳ Timestamps:

[00:00] – Introduction: Meet Jeremy Indika

📲 Connect with Us!

🎧 Subscribe & Share!