February 11, 2025

Maternal mental health, Syria's missing, poet Caitlin O'Ryan

57 minutes

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP wants more care and support for new mothers struggling with their mental health. Her own friend died by suicide just 10 weeks after giving birth and she recently led a debate in parliament on the subject. She joins Nuala McGovern to talk about the changes she wants to see, along with perinatal psychologist Dr Alain Gregoire from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

What does the word 'ambition' mean to you? A study from the University of California has shown women may be put off applying for jobs when words such as 'ambition' or 'drive' appear in the ad, as they can feel intimidated. Nuala talks to Tiffanie Darke, the former CEO of female unemployment charity Smart Works, about women’s relationship to ambition and what they’re really looking for in a job.

Wafa al Mustafa has been searching for her father for 13 years, ever since he was arrested at their home in Damascus in 2013. She has become the face of the campaign by hundreds of Syrian families to find their loved ones who have disappeared. She tells us how her search is going, and the difference the fall of Assad’s regime has made.

Performance poet Caitlin O'Ryan's poem about women walking home has struck a chord with thousands of people online. She joins us to perform At What Point and share what made her want to get up on stage at a poetry open mic night for the first time a couple of years ago.

What happens when your child with special educational needs or disabilities, otherwise known as SEND, gets older? We hear from Laura Kerr from People First Dorset, a charity which aims to tackle loneliness amongst young people with learning disabilities, and Jo White, whose 17-year-old son Leon is autistic and non-verbal and has just left education.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern

Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

...more