Get a Grip - Evidence-Based Conversations for Parents and Educators

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.