In this episode, Sophia and Eva round off Season 1 by taking a look back at how the podcast came to exist, what it's been like creating the first season, and what's in store for Season 2. We'll be talking highlights,  surprises, awkward photoshoots, and plans for the future. 

Release date: Midday (BST), 9th December 2020

Is it ever acceptable to use physical force or 'restraint' with children in custody? This week Sophia and Eva talk to Dr Felicity Shenton and Professor Roger Smith about this controversial question. We take a deep dive into an unusual research project they did with a group of young co-researchers to look at children’s experiences of restraint in custody. 

CW: Physical violence against children 

Release date: Midday (BST), 2nd December 2020

What is emotional intelligence and how is it related to eating raw carrots? What is cortisol and how does it affect our bodies? And why do social workers and sheep share some similarities when stressed? This week we answer all this and more in our conversation with Dr Laura Biggart, from the University of East Anglia.

Release date: Midday (BST), 25th November 2020

Is the UK's reliance on predicted grades reinforcing existing inequalities between young people applying to university? In today's episode, Sophia and Eva talk to Dr Gill Wyness about why these predicted grades are so emotional,  controversial, and most importantly,  inaccurate. Is it time for an overhaul of this broken system? 

Release date: Midday (BST), 18th November 2020

The work of Child Protection Services is no easy business - balancing following complex rules and regulations, whilst recognising the humans at the heart of this work, can be a real challenge. In this episode, Sophia and Eva talk to Samita Wilson about what she has learned from research about young people's experiences of these services.  Listen along to learn about why participation is only the beginning for improving Child Protection Services and to find out whose voices are missing from research in this area.

Release date: Midday (BST), 11th November 2020

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Resilience. It's a topic that often raises more questions than it answers - so how do we use the idea of resilience to help care leavers thrive? Sophia and Eva talk to Professor Mike Stein about struggling, surviving, and thriving after care. We explore the ordinary magic of resilience and why everyone in society should be invested in supporting care leavers.

Release date: Midday (BST), 28th October 2020

In a society where mothers who abandon their babies are seen as 'sad, bad or mad' how can we understand the real stories of these mothers and how to support them better? Eva and Sophia tackle this challenging question with Dee Blackie on their journey to improve public understanding of mothers who abandon children in South Africa. 

CW: Sexual Assualt, Infant Harm and Death, Termination of Pregnancies 

Release date: Midday (BST), 21st October 2020

What is a baby box, how do they work, and why are they needed? Eva and Sophia learn from Nadene Grabham, Operations Director at Door of Hope Children's Mission, Johannesburg, about what research needs to be done to help allow for safe abandonment in South Africa. 

CW: Sexual Assualt, Infant Harm and Death, Termination of Pregnancies 

Release date: Midday (BST), 14th October 2020

What are the human stories behind the statistics about staff turnover in the child welfare system? Sophia and Eva speak to Dr Ashley Curry, Associate Clinical Professor and Director, Online MSW Program at the Erikson Institute, about what it means to really be there for a young person and what might be missing from social worker job descriptions.

Release date: Midday (BST), 7th October 2020

From Facebook friends to 360 degree immersive social worker training, Eva and Sophia explore the use of social media in social work with Dr Tarsem Singh Cooner. Join us for a journey into the grey areas, ethical dilemmas and algorithms of this new area of social work research.

Release date: Midday (BST), 30th September 2020