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Creating Therapeutic Environments for Traumatized Children: Lessons from the Cotswold Community and Beyond

What does it truly take to create healing environments for our most vulnerable children? In this thought-provoking conversation with John Whitwell, former principal of the pioneering Cotswold Community and director of the UK's first therapeutic foster care program, we explore the essential ingredients of therapeutic care across different settings.

John takes us through the remarkable transformation of the Cotswold Community from a punitive approved school to a therapeutic community for emotionally unintegrated boys. With unflinching honesty, he describes the challenges of this radical shift – the resistance from staff, the initial chaos, and the years required to establish a truly therapeutic culture. Central to this success was a clear primary task that united everyone from maintenance staff to therapists: helping emotionally unintegrated children heal and grow.

The conversation delves into crucial therapeutic principles that remain relevant decades later. John explains how Barbara Docker-Drysdale's approach to understanding behaviour as communication revolutionized their work with traumatized children. Rather than focusing on controlling behaviour, staff learned to look for the communication breakdown behind acting out and to connect with children's inner worlds through symbolic play.

Perhaps most compelling is John's gardening metaphor for therapeutic care: "We're emotional gardeners creating conditions for children to grow." This perspective recognizes that growth potential exists within each child; our job is creating the right environment for that potential to flourish. It's a powerful counterpoint to outcome-focused approaches that fail to appreciate the importance of process.

Whether you work in residential care, foster care, or any setting supporting traumatized young people, John's hard-won wisdom offers valuable guidance. His reflections remind us that meaningful healing work requires aligned teams, regular consultation, ongoing training, and the patience to create conditions where growth can naturally emerge. Subscribe now to hear more conversations with pioneers in therapeutic care on the Secure Start podcast.

John’s Bio

John was formerly a UKCP registered Psychotherapist and a full member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation (BPF).

John was also the Chair of Trustees of the Gloucestershire Counselling Service and Trustee of the Planned Environment Therapy Trust and the Mulberry Bush Organisation.

Between 1985 and 1999 John was the Principal of the Cotswold Community a pioneering therapeutic community for emotionally unintegrated boys.

Thereafter, between  1999 and 2014 John was the Managing Director of Integrated Services Programme (ISP), the first therapeutic foster care programme in the UK.

I am very much interested in John’s views from working across these different types of out of home care. I hope you will enjoy our conversation too. 

John's Website: https://www.johnwhitwell.co.uk/

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Family Preservation Through Trauma Informed Practice

What does it take to safely reunify over 1,200 children with their families? Sally Rhodes, founder of Connecting Families, takes us behind the scenes of her remarkable 20-year journey building South Australia's largest family reunification service.

The conversation opens with a powerful reflection that frames everything that follows: "The decisions that we make, the things that we write, the recommendations that we make about families have long-lasting impact." This awareness shapes Sally's approach to the complex world of child protection and family preservation.

Sally's path to this work began in childhood, influenced by her father's stance against injustice and early exposure to children living in institutional care. From her first position in residential care in 1985 to establishing Connecting Families in 2004, she has maintained a consistent vision – children belong with their families whenever safely possible.

At the heart of successful reunification work lies a willingness to challenge conventional approaches. Through her Churchill Fellowship studying the Resolutions Approach in the UK, Sally developed expertise in working with families where traditional demands for "admissions" create barriers to progress. She offers compelling insights into how shame operates as a powerful impediment to change and how practitioners can create conditions where genuine safety planning becomes possible without forcing disclosures that trigger profound shame responses.

The conversation also reveals how effective teams mirror the very therapeutic relationships they aim to build with families. Just as families need psychological safety to be vulnerable and make changes, practitioners require teams where diverse perspectives are valued while maintaining aligned values and approaches. This balance creates the collective wisdom and voice that has been crucial to Connecting Families' enduring success.

Ready to rethink your approach to family work? Listen now and discover why a focus on engagement rather than admission might be the key to better outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

Sally's Bio:

Sally has a Master of Social Work, and a Graduate Diploma in Family Therapy.

Sally, commenced working in residential care in 1985, then followed her passion for strengthening families through working intensively in family preservation services.  

In 2004 Sally established Connecting Families, a therapeutic Reunification and Family Preservation service, which has grown to 17 practitioners. 

Sally is trained in Narrative Therapy, Marte Meo, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics ,and Signs of Safety.

Sally was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to work in the UK with the Resolutions Approach - Working with Denied Child Abuse.  

Connecting Families is now the largest Reunification Service is South Australia and, together the team has safely reunified over 1200 children, and prevented the removal of many more.  

Sally provides training and consultation to Government and Non-Government organisations and remains a strong advocate for vulnerable families. Sally has been integral in leading the development of a Partnering for Safety approach to child protection through training and consulting, and is passionate about family led decision making and bringing the child’s voice into child protection work. 
 
 

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What if everything we thought we knew about helping traumatised children was backwards? In this profound conversation, Adela Holmes reveals the revolutionary approach that transformed lives at Hurstbridge Farm Therapeutic Residential Care Pilot in Victoria.

At the heart of effective therapeutic care lies what Holmes calls "relentless kindness" – an unwavering commitment to relationship-based approaches that prioritise connection over control. Drawing from neurobiology and decades of practice wisdom, she explains why traditional behavioural management techniques often fail our most vulnerable children.

"Before they can make any lasting change in their behaviour, they need to feel safe and loved," Holmes quotes from Bruce Perry's seminal work. She shares compelling stories that illustrate this principle in action – like the 10-year-old boy who initially resisted constant adult supervision but later panicked when he woke up alone, desperately seeking an adult presence he'd come to rely on.

The Hurstbridge model, grounded in neuroscience and relationship-based care, focuses on meeting children where they are developmentally rather than where society expects them to be. Holmes explains why going "to the lowest part of the brain implicated" is essential for creating meaningful change. This means providing countless repetitions of corrective experiences within safe, consistent relationships.

Despite facing criticism and doubt, Holmes persevered with her approach. The results speak volumes – young people who experienced multiple placement breakdowns finding stability, developing trusting relationships, and eventually creating fulfilling lives. One poignant example: a former resident who recently married and shared the news with staff who had cared for him years earlier.

For anyone working with traumatised children – whether in residential care, foster care, or therapeutic settings – this episode offers invaluable insights into creating environments where healing can truly happen. Listen now to discover how relationship-based approaches, informed by neurobiology, can transform the lives of our most vulnerable children.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Dr. Jenna Bollinger takes us on a revealing journey into the heart of what makes residential care truly effective for vulnerable children and young people. Drawing from her doctoral research on stability in out-of-home care, she challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on how we measure success in these settings.

The podcast opens with a powerful revelation: stability isn't simply about remaining in one placement for a long time. As Dr Bollinger explains, "If I was just told I have to leave my house today for no reason and I don't know where I'm going, I could be in my next house for 12 months, but I don't know how secure I would feel." This insight forms the foundation of her research, which discovered that meaningful relationships are what truly create stability for young people in care.

One of the most touching moments comes when Dr Bollinger shares a story about interviewing a young man who had been in residential care. When she suggested that staff caring about him made a difference, he firmly corrected her: "No, I felt loved." This profound statement highlights what makes residential care work—genuine connections that extend beyond professional boundaries, with former residents maintaining relationships with staff long after leaving care.

Dr Bollinger introduces her "Secure House" model, a practical framework for creating stability in residential settings. Built on a foundation of safety, with walls representing consistent staff relationships, and a ceiling of genuine care, this model provides organizations with clear guidance on what elements must be in place for young people to thrive. She emphasizes that while change is inevitable in these settings, how it's managed makes all the difference.

The conversation also explores how organizations themselves can become traumatized when working with trauma-affected children, and how reflective practice—particularly at leadership levels—can help create healthier workplaces where staff feel heard and valued. 

Wondering how to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable children in our community? Listen now to discover practical insights from someone who's dedicated her career to creating healing environments for young people recovering from trauma and disrupted attachments.

Jenna’s Bio 

Jenna has a Masters Degree in Forensic Psychology from the University of New South Wales, and a PhD from Monash University, where she investigated the experience of, and capacity for stability in, residential out of home care. 

Jenna has worked in out of home care in different capacities since 2012 and is currently the Director of Psychology and Clinical Services for Knightlamp, which consults on assessment and implementation of therapeutic programs in out of home care across Australia. 

Jenna also conducts a variety of assessments, including therapeutic assessments for out of home care, forensic assessments and parenting capacity assessments in the context of the child protection system. 

We hope you enjoy our conversation.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What makes therapeutic care truly effective? Simon Benjamin takes us on a journey through his remarkable career—from cleaning houses as a support worker to leading the Lighthouse Foundation as CEO—to reveal the essential ingredients of healing environments for vulnerable children and young people.

Drawing from his immersive experiences at the Mulberry Bush School in the UK and the Lighthouse Foundation in Australia, Simon articulates a profound truth often overlooked in our sector: therapeutic practice must permeate every level of an organisation to be effective. When leadership teams maintain their own reflective spaces, they model the vulnerability and trust-building that forms the foundation of healing relationships with clients.

"The alignment has got to be through the whole system, from top to bottom," Simon explains, offering a compelling metaphor for why comprehensive support structures matter. Working in child protection is like navigating rough terrain—without proper "suspension" systems like reflective practice and ongoing training, staff get "bashed up" and eventually leave, their potential for creating meaningful change lost in the process.

Most powerfully, Simon challenges organisations to examine whether their therapeutic approaches actually reach a "therapeutic level" where healing begins. Just as medication must reach a certain concentration in the bloodstream to combat disease, therapeutic care must provide enough positive experiences to create real change in people's lives. This requires more than simply being "trauma-informed"—it demands consistent, thoughtful practice embedded in organisational culture.

For leaders considering implementing therapeutic approaches, Simon's advice is clear: genuine leadership buy-in is essential, and the change process itself should model the therapeutic principles being introduced. By engaging the entire organisation in this journey, leaders create alignment that supports lasting transformation for both staff and clients.

Whether you're a frontline worker, manager, or executive in social care, this conversation offers practical wisdom for creating environments where vulnerability becomes strength and healing becomes possible. Join us as we explore how reflective practice at every level creates organisations capable of truly transformative work.
Simon’s Bio

For two decades, Simon experienced a wide range of care models in disability, mental health, special education, out-of-home care and Aboriginal childcare services. 

This included caring for deeply traumatised children in both community-based and state-run residential care homes.

More than 10 years of this time was spent immersed in the well-established therapeutic milieu workplaces of The Mulberry Bush School in the United Kingdom, and Lighthouse Foundation in Australia, having been CEO for more than five years at the latter. 

Simon now draws on this rich career experience, together with the latest research and evidence-based approaches, to empower organisational leaders, teams and frontline workers to better manage their own wellbeing and deliver optimal outcomes.

While his work supports a broad range of clients, Simon specialises in Out of Home Care, Mental Health, Homelessness sectors.

Simon’s vision is to see people, organisations and the human services sector deliver the care that vulnerable people need to enable them to reach their potential.

Simon's Website: https://blueskies.net.au/


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What happens when leadership falters in high-stakes environments? Children and families suffer. After managing social services during Northern Ireland's most volatile political period, Lynne Peyton discovered that exceptional leadership isn't just desirable—it's essential for transforming lives.

"Culture flows downhill," Lynne explains, revealing why her CORE leadership model targets organisations from the top down. Drawing from experiences where staff navigated dangerous conditions to support vulnerable families, she shares powerful insights about creating environments where practitioners can thrive despite challenges. The ripple effect is undeniable: confident staff create empowered clients.

Lynne's journey from aspiring language teacher to social worker began when she encountered people struggling with homelessness and addiction. "I've been fascinated by people's stories ever since," she reflects. This curiosity fueled her progression through leadership roles during tumultuous times, where creative community partnerships became essential for effective service delivery.

The CORE model—Communication, Optimisation, Relationships, and Evaluation—provides a framework for sustainable leadership development. Rather than focusing solely on communication as speaking well, Lynne emphasises listening and asking powerful questions. She reframes work-life balance as "life-work integration," acknowledging that sometimes work demands everything, while at other times family needs take priority.

Perhaps most provocatively, Lynne challenges the effectiveness of internal leadership development programs. "Middle managers can't coach senior leaders," she observes, explaining why external perspective is crucial for executive growth. Her independent stance allows leaders to be vulnerable in ways impossible with internal staff.

Ready to transform your leadership approach? Explore Lynne's free resources at lynnpeyton.com, where her Leadership Library offers practical tools for everything from difficult conversations to conflict resolution. Because when leaders thrive, everyone they serve benefits.

 Bio

Born and educated in Belfast Northern Ireland, Lynne’s spirit for adventure was fostered in the Officers’ Training Corps where she participated in a  wide range of adventure training and leadership activities, including a transfer to the Virginia National Guard during a temporary social work position in a family crisis centre in Richmond in 1980. She also gained her Private Pilot license during that time.

A qualified Social Worker, Lynne is a former senior manager in Health and Social Services, having held both operational and strategic management responsibilities for mental health and services for children and families. She was the director of a not-for-profit children’s charity for a number of years. She is also a master practitioner in NLP and neuro strategies, which she believes are essential to building rapport and great communication. 

Since establishing her consultancy almost 20 years ago, Lynne has been passionate about helping organisations working with vulnerable children to get better results. Her CORE Leadership Programme (Communication, Optimisation; Relationships, Evaluation) simultaneously targets executive teams as well as managers at all levels in organisations to bring about changes in attitude, culture, confidence, performance and outcomes.  

In the words of one CEO,  ‘Lynne has an amazing ability tounlock individual potential and bring out the best in people and inorganisations’.

Key areas include: 

• Strategic development 
• Building effective top teams 
• Coaching and mentoring senior managers
• Mediation

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When Graeme Kerridge first stepped into the Cotswold Community in 1977, he encountered a revolutionary approach to caring for deeply troubled young people. What he learned there would shape his understanding of human potential and systems thinking for decades to come.

The Cotswold Community was no ordinary residential care setting. Under Richard Balbirnie's visionary leadership, this former approved school was transforming into a therapeutic community based on the principles of Donald Winnicott and Barbara Dockar-Drysdale. Without locks, bars, or restraints, staff worked with boys who were often one step away from secure institutions, creating a holding environment where healing could begin.

Graeme shares the story of a 13-year-old who stole soft toys from a childcare center—a poignant revelation of his emotional deprivation. Remarkably, this same young man contacted Graeme 39 years later. Despite a rough start after leaving the community, he had maintained a stable 20-year relationship, raised university-educated sons, and broken his family's intergenerational cycle of dysfunction.

What made the Cotswold approach so effective? A commitment to being a true learning institution where staff constantly reflected on their practice. A systems perspective that recognized how every element of care connected. A careful triaging process that assessed whether they could truly help each child without draining staff resources. These principles followed Graeme throughout his subsequent career in healthcare management and international health development.

Our conversation raises important questions about Australia's current approach to troubled youth. While residential care has evolved toward smaller community houses, we lack comprehensive therapeutic communities like those that continue to operate in the UK. The economic and human case for investment is compelling—just as Graeme witnessed in international health programs where every dollar invested returned $42 to society.

Listen and discover how the right therapeutic environment can nurture growth in even our most hurt young people, with benefits that extend for generations.

Graeme’s Bio

Graeme is an international health development consultant who has worked in over 25 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and in the countries of the former Soviet Union. He has particularly focused on assignments supporting grants from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). In addition to working as a consultant and technical team leader on assignments funded by USAID, AusAID (DFAT), GIZ and other donors, for several years he was a technical manager on a major USAID project based in Washington DC where he managed and oversaw multiple teams of consultants supporting Global Fund grants around the world. 

Prior to his international development career, Graeme worked for 18 years in health care management in several states of Australia. He started his professional career, however, working for several years in the late 1970s at The Cotswold Community, an experimental therapeutic community for maladjusted children in Wiltshire, UK.  While he did not continue working in that field after returning to Australia, he often reflects on his learnings from that period in pursuing a career in the management of caring organisations.

I found Graeme's reflections fascinating. I hope you do too.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those

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Adela Holmes brings over five decades of wisdom to this compelling conversation about healing our most vulnerable children. With a career spanning 52 years in child protection and therapeutic care, Adela shares the remarkable journey that led her from folk singing in coffee lounges to designing groundbreaking therapeutic programs for traumatized young people.

Discover the story behind Hurstbridge Farm, a pioneering therapeutic residential care program that transformed outcomes for children who had experienced complex trauma. When traditional systems were failing these young people—often criminalizing their trauma responses—Adela helped create a relationship-based model that changed their life trajectories. The results speak volumes: while similar children in traditional care settings plateaued or deteriorated, 65-75% of young people at Hurstbridge showed significant improvement.

What made the difference? Not the farm setting itself, as many assume, but the consistent, calm presence of adults who understood trauma and provided psychological containment. "People think that it's the farm environment that is the key, but it's not. It's relationships," Adela explains. Through powerful stories and examples, she illustrates how seemingly small moments—like a formerly street-entrenched boy asking her to walk with him to retrieve a birthday present—represent monumental shifts in a child's capacity to trust and connect.

Adela's passion remains undiminished after more than five decades, driven by seeing the profound difference therapeutic care makes. Her message to policy makers is clear and urgent: "Don't fiddle with what does work. Add to what does work... Spend the money now, because in 10 years' time is when the judgment will come." For anyone working with vulnerable children or interested in how we can better support them, this conversation offers both practical wisdom and renewed hope that healing is possible through the power of therapeutic relationships.

Bio:

Adela has a career spanning 52-years, during which she has worked in the child protection, child & family welfare & out of home care fields for both the Victorian state government and the non-government sector. 

 Adela has a well-established track record in designing, developing and delivering complex trauma grounded therapeutic care services for the most complex and challenging children and adolescents, and an expertise for working successfully with and supporting others to work with these children and adolescents. 

During her career Adela has designed and been involved in the ‘start up’ leadership and management of significant therapeutic service initiatives funded by the Victorian state government. These include the ‘Take Two” Intensive Therapeutic Service and the Victorian government’s successful pilot therapeutic residential care program, Hurstbridge Farm. 

12 other pilot programs were developed using the same model and, in 2011, all 13 were evaluated as being highly effective in producing positive life outcomes. 

Adela has been specialising as a trainer in the utilisation of complex trauma frameworks since 2000 and during this time has consolidated an extensive knowledge base and expertise in trauma & attachment informed therapeutic practice, both as a practitioner and a trainer of these skills. 

Adela also specialises in the facilitation of Reflective Practice Groups and, in her consultancy work, Adela delivers to such groups as a visiting consultant on a regular basis.

In October 2024 Adela was awarded the inaugural Centre for Excellence in Child & Family Welfare Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Out of Home Care. 

Adela has no intention of retiring

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Shame isn't just a fleeting emotion—it's a complex process that profoundly shapes our lives from childhood through adulthood. In this eye-opening conversation, psychosexual therapist and PhD researcher Lisa Etherson introduces her groundbreaking Shame Containment Theory, revealing how our earliest attachment experiences create enduring sensitivities that influence everything from our relationships to our work choices.

Drawing from both clinical experience and rigorous research, Lisa explains how shame functions as part of our attachment system, designed to keep us connected to others and functioning in society. She breaks down the five components of her theory: attachment injuries, shame response, contained shame (including shame scripts), shame containment strategies, and uncontained shame. This framework helps us understand why seemingly innocuous childhood experiences—like a distracted parent or an unavailable caregiver—can create lasting patterns that we carry into adulthood.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when examining Netflix's controversial series "Adolescence," exploring how intergenerational shame passes from fathers to sons, and how violence often serves as a re-containment strategy when masculinity itself becomes a source of shame. Lisa challenges the notion that external factors like social media are the primary drivers of concerning behavior in young people, suggesting instead that we need to look more deeply at attachment and shame.

Whether you're a mental health professional, parent, or someone curious about your own patterns, this episode offers transformative insights into changing your relationship with shame. Lisa's perspective helps us see that shame isn't something to eliminate but to understand—a necessary emotion that, when properly contained, allows us to live connected, authentic lives.

Connect with Lisa through LinkedIn or explore her recently published academic article on Shame Containment Theory. Her children's book "Jake and His Shame Armor" will be available this summer, offering a tool for adults to help children understand and navigate shame in healthy ways.

Lisa is a qualified psychosexual therapist with over a decade of experience in private practice. Currently, she is also a PhD researcher. Her research focuses on developmental shame, and compulsive sexual behaviour in adult men, leading to the development of her innovative Shame Containment Theory (SCT). Her clinical work and research have cultivated a strong interest in the impact of childhood experiences on adult behaviour. Lisa is the author of Jake and his Shame Armour, a children’s book about shame.

You can find our more about Lisa's work here.

You can connect with Lisa on LinkedIn here.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Join me for a highly engaging and thought provoking conversation with Catherine (Cath) Knibbs, as we discuss the scope of harms children and young people may experience when online, Cath's reaction to the Netflix series, Adolescence, and Cath's question to me without notice about how we are failing boys in  contemporary western society and discourse.  I hope you like it!

About Cath:

Cath is a Researcher, Psychotherapist, Author, Speaker, and Doctoral candidate looking at the real harm children suffer in a world of technology, which is advancing quicker than many adults can keep up with.
 
Cath has a background in Engineering in the Army, IT, and Computer Tech of over 25 years, and over a decade of working with children and adults directly around issues relating to the internet, from Bullying to Porn viewing, from cybercrime to cybersecurity and more.
 
Cath writes about issues such as the impact of tech on the developing child, the impact of cyber trauma and the issues of immersive technology on eyes, brains, and bodies.
 
Cath runs a company educating professionals about child safeguarding around tech and digital spaces, and she teaches therapists how to be 'safe AND secure' when using tech to ensure they protect their clients.

For more information about Cath visit her website.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Emotional wellbeing in child protection

What drives us toward careers in child protection, and how might our personal histories unconsciously shape our professional approaches? Dr Nicola O'Sullivan takes us on a profound journey through the emotional terrain of social care work, revealing how her own experiences of childhood trauma unconsciously propelled her into caregiving roles.

With remarkable candour, she explores how her training at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust transformed her understanding of herself and her work. "I brought with me a lot of unconscious items," she reflects, describing how overconfidence and determination masked vulnerability. This journey toward self-awareness, though painful, proved essential to becoming what she calls "a more solid, safe practitioner."

O'Sullivan offers a refreshing perspective on psychological defences in high-stress environments like child protection. Rather than viewing defences as obstacles to eliminate, she suggests practitioners tell families, "Please don't drop your defences. You need them until we have something that might offer something better." This nuanced approach acknowledges that defences serve important protective functions while recognising when they might interfere with effective practice.

The conversation delves into systems psychodynamic theory as a framework for understanding what happens beneath the surface in helping organisations. By integrating psychoanalysis, group relations theories, and open systems perspectives, practitioners can better understand the interconnections between various parts of a social system. O'Sullivan explains how this approach helps track "processes in the work between workers and between workers and families and workers and organisations."

For those in the field, O'Sullivan's insights on supervision prove invaluable. Good supervision, she argues, acknowledges the intersection between personal experience, professional role, and the work itself. Using a clear model (she recommends the Seven-Eyed Model), supervision creates a containing space where practitioners can process difficult emotions rather than avoiding them – crucial when we consider that avoidance only increases anxiety over time.

Listen to discover why reflective practice matters now more than ever in a field where workers face anxiety not just from trauma exposure but also from fears of inspection and scapegoating. Whether you're new to social care or a seasoned practitioner, O'Sullivan's wisdom offers both validation and challenge: "Go gently, try not to feel so much shame about your own history, and find people who are wise and kind and open and curious and uncertain."

Nicola’s Bio

Nicola  is a Lecturer, Clinical Supervisor and Social Care Consultant, and has worked with children and families in community and residential settings for 24 years. 

Nicola consults to senior managers in organisations nationally and internationally, and provides individual and group supervision to social workers, social care workers, forensic teams, and frontline workers at all levels in community and hospital settings. Nicola works clinically in frontline practice with foster families. 

In this episode we discuss supervision in social work and social care settings.

We hope you like our conversation.


Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What happens when one person loves a child unconditionally? According to Susan Barton AM, founder of Lighthouse Foundation, "they'll usually make it through." This profound belief forms the backbone of an extraordinary organisation that has transformed the landscape of youth homelessness in Australia over the past 33 years.

Susan's journey began with a shocking encounter in Sri Lanka, where she witnessed a severely malnourished baby covered in abscesses and flies. That moment changed everything. Returning to Australia, she discovered that while our children weren't dying of malnutrition, they faced a different crisis—one of the highest youth suicide rates in the Western world. What started as fostering teenagers in her own home evolved into a revolutionary approach to therapeutic care that has helped over 1,350 young people find healing, with 87% never returning to homelessness.

The Lighthouse model goes far beyond providing shelter. At its core is the understanding that healing happens through relationships and community. Every home is surrounded by a "community committee" of local supporters who become surrogate extended family. All staff engage in reflective practice to understand their emotional responses when working with trauma. Perhaps most revolutionary is their approach to birth families—recognising that "children who have been abused by their parents don't stop loving their parents; they stop loving themselves." Their Young Parents and Babies Programme embodies their philosophy: "We care for the parents so they can care for their children."

Ben Pryke, who left his career in the UK after reading Susan's book on therapeutic residential care, shares powerful stories of transformation—from fathers reconnecting with their children to young mothers learning to play with their babies after their own experiences of childhood trauma. What sets Lighthouse apart is their commitment to long-term support, continuing relationships well beyond the typical age cutoffs, because as Susan explains, "You don't stop being a parent just because they've moved out."

Want to learn how therapeutic care can break cycles of intergenerational trauma? Listen now to discover how one organisation is changing the way Australia approaches youth homelessness—one relationship at a time.

Bio's:

Susan Barton AM founded Lighthouse Foundation 33 years ago and has dedicated her life to helping the most vulnerable children and youth. Her mission is to change the way Australia looks at the issue of child and youth homelessness towards a more therapeutic approach where we create caring communities where all young people – from babies to young adults – can feel safe, form meaningful relationships, and begin their journey to recovery. 

Susan has co-authored two books on childhood trauma, was awarded an Order of Australia for services to youth in Australia, was named Melburnian of the Year in 2009, and was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her significant achievements and contribution to the Victorian community, in 2012.

Inspired by the Lighthouse Foundation’s values and vision for high-quality care, Ben joined the organisation in 2018 as a Therapeutic Carer, supporting children, young people, young parents, and babies in need of a secure base.

In 2021, Ben became the Manager of Youth and Family Services; leading Lighthouse Foundation’s nine therapeutic residential care homes.

We hope you enjoy our conversation.

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Patricia Sheridan's remarkable journey from critical observer to pioneering founder reveals how one person's vision can transform an entire field. When she established Moore House School in 1988, Mrs Sheridan was swimming against the tide of conventional childcare practices in Scotland, where controlling children took precedence over nurturing their potential.

What began as a small residential school has blossomed into the Moore House Group – encompassing residential education, foster care services, and specialized support for neurodiverse children. Throughout this evolution, Mrs Sheridan maintained an unwavering commitment to a revolutionary principle: every child deserves to be surrounded by adults who genuinely believe in their capabilities and potential.

The conversation explores how Mrs Sheridan cultivated an organizational culture where everyone – from teachers to care staff to foster carers – receives consistent training in attachment theory and trauma-informed approaches. This creates what she lovingly calls the "Moore House family," a community united by shared values and language. Particularly moving is her description of care staff learning alongside children, demonstrating that vulnerability and growth are lifelong pursuits for everyone.

Mrs Sheridan's reflections on Scotland's childcare landscape reveal how far the field has come. The language of love, relationships, and potential that once made her an outlier has become mainstream, reflected in national initiatives like "The Promise." While challenges remain, particularly in shifting from damage control to prevention, her optimism is contagious.

Most powerfully, Mrs Sheridan dismantles the myth that traumatized children are inherently difficult to connect with. "Relationships are the vehicle to all healing," she asserts, sharing how creating environments where children feel worthy and capable transforms "impossible" into "I'm possible." Her story proves that institutional change begins with belief – in children's potential and in our own capacity to create more humane systems of care.

Patricia’s Bio

Mrs Sheridan established Moore House School in 1988.  Her drive was to create a service with her personal mantras “Determined to Deliver Excellence” and “I’m Possible” for young people. 

Mrs Sheridan leads the Board of Directors and continues to have a hands-on approach using a range of experiences and techniques to engage with young people to elicit their views on the service they are receiving.  

Her passion is for young people to be supported by adults who believe in their potential and adults who share the organisational values of respect, integrity and dignity for all.  

Mrs Sheridan reminds us that we are responsible for creating trusting relationships and happy memories for our young people.  She strives to ensure that our young people experience as many creative, happy, nurturing memories as possible.

Mrs Sheridan continues to strive for excellence and ensures that her passion for high quality services is cascaded throughout the organisation to encourage each and every team member to recognise the important part they play in the wellbeing and progress that our young people experience.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Richard Rowlandson draws from over five decades of experience at the Mulberry Bush School to share profound insights about therapeutic residential care for traumatised children. His journey from New York City to the English countryside led to a lifelong commitment to creating environments where troubled children can learn to live with themselves and others.

At the heart of Richard's approach is the concept of belonging. He eloquently unpacks how children who don't feel "held in mind" by adults will produce behaviours to be "on their mind" instead – even when those behaviours have negative consequences. This fundamental understanding transforms how we view challenging behaviour: "If I can't be in their mind, I better be on their mind, because if I'm not either of those places, I'm out of their mind and out of my mind."

Richard shares powerful stories that illuminate the patient, persistent work required to help children heal from relational trauma. Using the beautiful metaphor of "tempo rubato" from music – time that has been stolen – he explains how these children have had their childhood time stolen, and therapeutic communities work to give some of that time back. This perspective challenges our results-driven culture, reminding us that "the long-term hurt many of these children have suffered requires some long-term work."

For educators and caregivers in mainstream settings, Richard offers practical wisdom about the power of community. He suggests that schools have enormous untapped potential to foster belonging simply by creating regular spaces where students can reflect together on "how are we doing?" This simple shift – emphasizing "we" rather than isolating troubled individuals – could transform school cultures without requiring them to become full therapeutic communities.

Whether you work directly with traumatised children or simply care about creating more healing environments for young people, this conversation offers both practical guidance and profound inspiration. Richard's lifetime commitment to this work stands as testament to its value, with former pupils still reaching out decades later to acknowledge the difference it made in their lives.

Richard’s Bio

Richard has a long association with Residential Therapeutic Communities, having worked at the Mulberry Bush School for well over 20 years and where, from 1991 to 2001, he was its Director. He was also Director, Children and Young People, at the Peper Harow Foundation, from 2001 to 2005. 

Richard qualified as a Social Worker with an MSc from Oxford University in 1983, following the then Part 1 training in Child Psychotherapy at the Tavistock Centre. In 2005 he completed the Ashridge MA and training in Organisational Consulting. He has been Chairman of the Charterhouse Group of Therapeutic Communities and for many years the Chairman of the Care Leavers’ Foundation. In 2014 he became Chair of Trustees at the Mulberry Bush School, only recently stepping down from that position, while remaining a Trustee with a special brief for the links and development of the contacts with and participation of former pupils. He has published numerous articles and continues to lecture widely across the UK and Europe.

We hope you like our chat.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Andrew Isaac brings decades of leadership experience in children's social care to this eye-opening discussion about the state of foster care in the UK. As Chair of BSN Social Care and the Children's Services Development Group, Andrew offers rare insights into both the frontline challenges and policy considerations shaping outcomes for vulnerable young people.

The conversation tackles the alarming 30% increase in children entering care across England since 2010, examining how this surge has stretched resources and created unprecedented challenges. Andrew expertly dissects the intersection of funding constraints, outdated legislation, and shifting societal dynamics that complicate effective care delivery. His passion for early intervention shines through as he shares compelling economic data: every pound invested in proper care yields sixteen pounds in lifetime returns, with potential savings of nearly a billion pounds from the justice system alone by reducing the number of care-experienced young people in prison.

Most poignantly, Andrew addresses what he calls "the cliff edge at 18" – the arbitrary point where young people transition overnight from comprehensive support to navigating multiple agencies independently. The statistics are heartbreaking: care leavers are seven times more likely to commit suicide than their peers. Through powerful anecdotes and evidence-based insights, Andrew makes a compelling case for extending meaningful support beyond this artificial boundary.

The discussion also explores the delicate art of foster carer recruitment and retention, highlighting the importance of honest conversations that address concerns while emphasizing the profound difference carers make. Andrew shares touching success stories alongside practical strategies for supporting carers through challenging placements and transitions.

Whether you work in social care, are considering fostering, or simply care about society's most vulnerable members, this conversation offers essential perspective on how we might better support young people to achieve what one expert calls "the great aspiration of children in care" – an ordinary life. Subscribe now to join this important conversation about creating lasting positive change for generations to come.

Andrew’s Bio

Andrew is a highly accomplished leader within heavily regulated healthcare, children’s services and special needs education environments.  

Andrew is the Chair of BSN Social care, the parent company of six of the UK’s leading foster care agencies servicing much of England and Wales.

Andrew is also the Chair of the Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG), a coalition of leading independent providers of care and specialist education services, who work closely with policymakers, regulators and local authorities to develop policy solutions that will ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people with complex needs. 

Andrew was previously the marketing and communications manager for the National Fostering Agency, which is when we first interacted with each other. I was under the impression that he retired some time ago, but as we will hear that does not appear to be the case.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Colby Pearce connects with the core technical team of Livramento, a residential care home in Portugal with a remarkable 200-year history of supporting girls and young women from ages 6 to 25.

• Tracing Livramento's journey from a closed orphanage during Napoleonic times to today's therapeutic community
• Exploring how a revolutionary director in the 1970s transformed the institution by focusing on education and personal development
• Developing a comprehensive therapeutic model with consultant Patrick Tomlinson that emphasizes reflective practice
• Creating graduated independence through pre-autonomous living within the home and apartments in the community
• Achieving a 99-100% academic success rate through educational partnerships and scholarship programs
• Working systemically with families to promote healthy relationships and potential reunification
• Building a culture where staff at all levels receive supervision and support to prevent burnout
• Demonstrating how residential care can be the best option for some young people when implemented with therapeutic intention

My guests, and I say guests because there are five of them, are Ivone, Maria, Bruna, Carla, and Liliana, from Lar Nossa Senhora do Livramento.

About Livramento

The Fundação Lar Nossa Senhora do Livramento (FLNSL) is a non-profit Private Social Solidarity Institution (IPSS) that receives female children and young people aged between 6 and 25 years old into its residential care programme. 

The history of Livramento is intertwined with the history of the city of Porto, dating back to the Napoleonic invasions. At that time, a group of citizens organised themselves to protect children and their mothers from abandonment and mistreatment, creating the first shelter in 1810. 

Livramento accommodates female children and young people aged 6 and over who are in a situation of danger or neglect, and whose reception is requested by the competent entities – Family and Juvenile Court or Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk. The objective of this social response is the protection and rehabilitation of children and young people, aiming at the following possible life projects: family reunification, foster care, adoption or autonomy.
 
Livramento operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ensuring accommodation, food and personal care as well as monitoring and promoting their integral development.

In recent years, the residential shelter has undergone a very significant transformation process, which I am hoping to discuss further in this episode of the podcast.

Welcome Ivone (Psychologist), Maria (Social Worker), Carla (Psychologist), Liliana (Special Education Technician), and Bruna (Psychology Intern).

 Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What happens when someone with lived experience of the care system becomes a leading voice in trauma-informed practice? Dr. Lisa Cherry's journey from writing complaints to the director of social services as a child in care to becoming an internationally recognised consultant offers profound insights into breaking intergenerational cycles of trauma.

Drawing from her 35 years of experience working in education and children's services, Dr. Cherry shares the deeply personal story of how raising her own children became "one of the deepest education experiences" she's had. Her powerful reflections on breaking cycles through consistent presence and connection with her now-adult children demonstrates the transformative potential of trauma-informed parenting and practice.

Two critical messages emerge that could revolutionise how we support vulnerable children. First, we must examine the problematic language used to describe children and young people in care - language that shapes how they're viewed and treated. Second, we need deeper understanding that behaviour is communication, especially when children lack the capacity to articulate their trauma verbally. As Dr. Cherry explains, "It's very difficult to think about behaviour as communication if you don't have time and space to think about how you communicate your own distress when distressed."

The conversation explores how starved systems with reduced funding make genuine relational work increasingly difficult, yet Dr. Cherry shares examples of organisations prioritising connection and belonging against these odds. Her three books - including the recently published "Weaving a Web of Belonging" - combine academic knowledge, professional practice and lived experience in accessible ways for busy practitioners.

Want to transform your understanding of trauma-informed practice? This episode offers both practical insights and profound wisdom from someone who's walked the path from care experience to international advocacy. Listen now to discover how we can create services that truly understand human development and support both children and the professionals who work with them.

Lisa's Bio:

Dr Lisa Cherry is the Director of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd leading a dynamic and creative organisation that provides a 'one stop' approach to delivering on research, consultancy and learning and development. Lisa is an author, researcher, leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting schools, services and systems to create systemic change to the way that we work with those experiencing and living with, the legacy of trauma. Lisa has been working in and around Education and Children’s Services for over 35 years and combines academic knowledge and research with professional expertise and personal experience. Lisa has worked extensively across many sectors with Social workers, Educators, Probation Workers and those in Adult Services, training and speaking to over 35,000 people around the world including in the US, Australia and Pakistan and across the whole of the UK.

To find out more about Lisa, visit her website: https://www.ticservicesltd.com/

To listen to a podcast interview I gave on Lisa's podcast (referred to in this episode), visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3A4g73Dqw

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What makes attachment so crucial for foster children, and how can carers build connection with young people who seem determined to push them away? In this illuminating conversation, clinical psychologist Colby reveals the profound impact of attachment on every aspect of child development.

Attachment isn't just about emotional bonding—it shapes how children explore their world, develop reading skills, and even their motor development. For children in foster care, who typically have disorganized attachment styles resulting from frightening or harmful parenting experiences, building secure attachment presents unique challenges. Yet understanding these challenges opens the door to powerful solutions.

Colby introduces the AURA framework—Accessible, Understanding, Responsive, and Attuned care—as a guide for creating healing relationships. When children experience adults as consistently present, understanding their experiences, responsive to their needs, and attuned to their emotional states, they gradually develop the sense that they are worthy of care and that adults can be trusted.

For young people who seem to reject connection, Colby offers a counterintuitive but effective approach: lower the dose. Brief check-ins, simple acknowledgments of their experience ("You look like you had a tough day"), and providing things they enjoy without making a fuss can communicate care without triggering defensive responses. Remarkably, research suggests that as little as five minutes of daily interactive play—like a game of Uno—can significantly improve attachment relationships.

The conversation explores how shame operates in traumatized children and how carers can respond to challenging behaviours in ways that promote healing rather than reinforcing negative self-perceptions. Children see themselves as they experience adults seeing them—the "looking glass self" concept—making it crucial for carers to recognize progress, however small.

Whether you're caring for a child with attachment difficulties or simply interested in the profound influence of early relationships, this discussion offers practical wisdom for nurturing connection and helping young people develop the self-worth that underpins a functional, happy life.

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A childhood moment of terror when separated from her parents for mere minutes sparked Dr. Kiran Modi's lifelong mission to transform care for vulnerable children across India. With remarkable clarity and compassion, Dr. Modi shares how this formative experience—feeling utterly lost and alone—helped her truly understand what children without parental care endure every day.

What follows is the extraordinary story of Udayan Care, an organization Dr. Modi founded in 1994 after visiting over 150 childcare institutions. Rejecting the prevailing model of large, isolated orphanages, she pioneered the LIFE (Living in Family Environment) approach—creating small, community-integrated homes where children receive individualized care and form lasting attachments. Most revolutionary is her "voluntary mentor parents" system, where committed adults pledge lifelong relationships with these children, creating the stability so desperately needed by those who've experienced family disruption.

Dr. Modi's insights on trauma are particularly powerful. "Trauma lodges in your heart," she explains, challenging simplistic notions of recovery. Rather than pretending trauma can be erased, Udayan Care focuses on building resilience and coping mechanisms while acknowledging that for many children, the emotional scars remain. This realistic, compassionate approach permeates everything from their therapeutic models to their comprehensive aftercare programs supporting young people transitioning to independence.

The impact is extraordinary—operating in 36 cities across 15 Indian states, supporting over 16,000 girls in higher education, training 30,000 youth in vocational skills, and pioneering India's first care leavers networks. But perhaps most remarkable is how Dr. Modi bridges practice and policy, turning frontline experiences into research that drives systemic change. Her work establishing BICON (Asia's largest platform for care reform) and an international academic journal demonstrates how thoughtful integration of service, research and advocacy can transform child welfare systems.

Wondering how vulnerable children can develop resilience despite profound early adversity? Listen as Dr. Modi shares the therapeutic frameworks, practical approaches and heartwarming stories of young people who, given the right support, flourish beyond all expectations. This conversation will forever change how you think about trauma, attachment and the profound human need for family connection.

 Kiran’s Bio

 Kiran has a PhD in American Literature from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Kiran founded Udayan Care, a non-profit organization, in 1994. Since then Udayan Care has delivered programs at national and international level, with a focus on family strengthening and care reform. 

Under Kiran’s leadership, Udayan Care now operates in 36 cities across 15 states in India and has international chapters in the USA and Germany. 

Kiran developed the LIFE (Living In Family Environment) model for group homes, initiated aftercare programs, and launched the Udayan Shalini Fellowship, which has supported over 16,000 girls in higher education. Kiran also established 24 IT and Vocational Training Centers, training over 30,000 youth.

Kiran has pioneered several initiatives including BICON, Biennial International Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia, (BICONs), Asia’s largest platform for care reform; an international journal, ICB, Institutionalised Children Explorations and Beyond, and related initiatives. 

Kiran led India’s first care leavers study, resulting in new programs and the formation of the country’s first care leavers’ network, as well as a global network of care

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A series of serendipities and the opportunity to play Winnicott's piano marked Peter Wilson's remarkable journey into child psychotherapy. In this captivating conversation, Peter reveals how a degree in industrial economics led unexpectedly to founding Young Minds, one of the UK's most influential children's mental health charities.

Peter's four years training at the Anna Freud Centre in London during the late 1960s represented a turning point in his life. Working directly with Anna Freud herself, he absorbed the psychoanalytic approach that would define his career spanning more than five decades. His vivid recollections of treating children five times weekly and the intensity of this training provide a window into a therapeutic world that has largely disappeared in our current era.

The most provocative thread running through our conversation is Peter's forthcoming book, "The Adolescent and the Psychotherapist: Why I Don't Know Matters." He argues passionately that embracing uncertainty—both in the therapy room and in policy development—opens space for genuine discovery. When teenagers respond with "I don't know" in therapy, Peter sees not resistance but an authentic state of uncertainty deserving respect. Similarly, he challenges the excessive certainty with which cognitive behavioral therapy is promoted as the treatment of choice despite what he considers limited evidence.

Peter offers a stinging critique of current mental health service delivery models, particularly how the IAPT program and market-based reforms have fragmented services and created competition rather than collaboration between professional disciplines. His observations about the demoralization of the workforce and the devaluing of relationship-based approaches highlight the human cost of these policy directions.

Looking back on his career, Peter wishes he had been more assertive in advocating for psychoanalytic approaches. This reflection reveals a fascinating tension between valuing the humility of "not knowing" while recognizing that sometimes forceful advocacy is needed to protect valuable approaches to understanding human distress. Join us for this profound exploration of a life dedicated to understanding the complexity of children's emotional worlds.

Peter's Bio:

Peter Wilson is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. 

He qualified  in 1971, having completed his training with Anna Freud in her Centre. 

Since then, he has worked in a variety of organisations, holding senior positions in all of them.

These included three Child Guidance Clinics ( now known as CAMHS), two walk- in Centres for young people, a therapeutic community ( the Peper Harow Community) and the Institute of Psychiatry. 

Peter founded a national charity, called YoungMinds, the purpose of which was to raise public awareness of children’s mental health and to improve multi- discipline services. 

Peter later became Clinical Adviser at ThePlace2Be, a national organisation providing counselling services in schools. 

Peter has maintained a small private child and adolescent psychotherapy practice, and now teaches and provides supervision. He is publishing a book in the autumn, entitled ‘ The Adolescent and the Psychotherapist: why ‘ I don’t’ know’ matters'

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What if we've been looking at residential care all wrong? Professor Bruce Henderson, author of "Challenging the Conventional Wisdom About Residential Care for Children and Youth," presents a compelling case for rethinking our approach to caring for vulnerable children.

Drawing on over 35 years of experience with Black Mountain Home for Children and his extensive research analysis, Professor Henderson challenges the notion that residential care should be a "last resort" option. He shares the heartbreaking reality of children who bounce between dozens of placements—one young person experienced 35 different homes by age 15—creating devastating disruption in their education, relationships, and development.

The conversation explores how residential care has been unfairly maligned, often based on research involving substandard institutional settings that bears little resemblance to high-quality contemporary programs. Professor Henderson explains that the core issue isn't the setting but the quality of care provided. "You can find good and bad versions of every kind of care," he notes, "and to a large degree, the question of quality is a question of building relationships."

Professor Henderson advocates for a "children first" approach instead of "family first," emphasizing that each child's unique needs should determine their placement. For some children, especially sibling groups who might otherwise be separated, residential care provides stability, consistent education, and a therapeutic community. The Black Mountain model demonstrates how residential care can be part of a comprehensive array of services including foster care, family reunification, and transition support.

This thought-provoking discussion challenges listeners to move beyond ideological preferences about care settings and focus instead on what creates genuine healing and growth for children who've experienced trauma. Join us as we explore how high-quality residential care—when done right—can be an essential option in supporting vulnerable children on their journey toward healthy adulthood.

Bio:

Bruce is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Western Carolina University, and is a child psychologist (PhD for Minnesota) whose research until 2018 focused on the development of curiosity and memory in children, and on teaching in higher education. Since then, most of his writing has been about residential care. His book Challenging the Conventional Wisdom about Residential Care for Children and Youth: A Good Place to Grow (Routledge, 2024) is a critical appraisal of the research on residential care and a defense of high-quality residential care for children who need it. For over 35 years, Bruce has been involved with the Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth, and Families, an organization that provides residential care, but also has foster care and adoption services, transitional and independent living programs for older youth, and works to reunite children with their families of origin whenever possible. Bruce lives with his wife Judy in the mountains of Western North Carolina. 

Disclaimer:

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What does it really mean to provide therapeutic residential care to traumatised young people? Dr Kevin Gallagher draws from three decades of experience to challenge our assumptions about children's homes and how we use them.

Kevin's journey from banking to social work, driven by his own experiences of exclusion and inequality, mirrors the evolution of UK residential care itself. His candid reflections reveal how sophisticated practice develops through mentorship, theoretical understanding, and lived experience.

At the heart of this conversation lies a provocative question: why do we wait until children have experienced multiple foster placement breakdowns before considering residential care? These repeated rejections only compound trauma. Kevin makes a compelling case for using residential settings earlier and more purposefully, not as forever homes but as intentional healing environments where young people can feel "loved, welcomed, protected, and encouraged to flourish" during their stay.

The discussion navigates the tension between authentic connection and professional boundaries. As Kevin explains, staff must be "open and affected and bothered enough to have real connections" while maintaining sufficient detachment to think objectively. This balance, supported by supervision and reflection, transforms intuitive caring into sophisticated practice.

Financial considerations inevitably shape our systems, but Kevin distinguishes between "high cost" interventions (requiring significant resources) and those that are truly "expensive" (delivering poor value). His insights into how economic pressures have reshaped UK care provision over decades offer valuable perspective on similar challenges worldwide.

Whether you're a practitioner, student, policymaker or foster carer, this conversation challenges you to reconsider what residential care can and should be. The goal isn't merely containment but transformation—creating environments where traumatised young people can heal, develop, and prepare for their next chapters. As Kevin reminds us: "If it's not therapeutic, what is it?"

Kevin's Bio:

Kevin is a qualified social worker, organisational consultant, manager and has just completed his PhD. 

He has worked in residential care and education for almost 30 years (with Amberleigh since 2015), from front line practitioner, through management roles and into leadership in a diverse range of organisational structures, both public and private. 

Kevins passion is for therapeutic residential care and education, promoting the use of quality improvement standards. 

He is an Advisory Group member and Therapeutic Care Specialist at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. 

Kevin has been a trustee of The Consortium for Therapeutic Communities for over a decade, supporting and developing therapeutic practice across the UK, in particular, supporting local authorities to commission specialist provision. 

Additionally, Kevin assists providers in strengthening models and practice. 

Kevin is a very public campaigner for better understanding and use of residential care through a focus on practice evidence.

Disclaimer:

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What if everything we think we know about residential childcare is wrong? What if, for some children, it's not the dreaded last resort but actually the best option for healing and growth?

Dr. Laura Steckley, who leads the MSc in Advanced Residential Child Care at the University of Strathclyde, brings three decades of practice, research, and teaching experience to challenge our assumptions. Having worked in both the United States and Scotland, she offers a refreshing perspective on what quality residential care can achieve when properly understood and supported.

The conversation upends conventional wisdom by revealing research showing many children who've experienced both foster care and residential settings actually prefer the latter. For children who find family environments emotionally threatening due to past trauma, residential care offers unique advantages: multiple caring relationships increasing the chance of meaningful connection, natural breaks preventing relationship burnout, and the therapeutic power of peer groups.

Dr. Steckley's groundbreaking research on physical restraint reveals surprising nuance. Rather than viewing restraint as universally negative, she introduces containment theory – a framework for understanding how adults help make "the unmanageable manageable" for distressed children. Her studies found some children reported restraint experiences, when conducted as acts of care rather than control, actually improved their relationships with staff.

Perhaps most powerfully, Dr. Steckley asserts that "in the daily minutiae of good care is where healing and developmental ground is regained." This elevates the importance of residential childcare workers and recognizes the complexity of their work. She also explores how shame, possibly our most "uncontainable" emotion, often manifests as rage in traumatized children, and how staff need proper support themselves to provide effective care.

The episode concludes with a fascinating discussion of attunement, using the famous "still face" experiment to demonstrate how children escalate behavior when seeking emotional connection – offering a radical reframing of how we might respond to challenging behaviors in care settings.

Listen now to gain fresh insights that could transform how you think about caring for our most vulnerable children.

Laura's Bio:

Dr Laura Steckley leads up the MSc in Advanced Residential Child Care at the University of Strathclyde and so has the very good fortune of doing teaching and learning with residential child care practitioners.  She has worked in direct and indirect practice in both the United States of America and Scotland. Her teaching, research and knowledge mobilisation are mostly addressed to residential child care practice and education, with a particular focus on physical restraint.  

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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What if child maltreatment wasn't an inevitable social problem, but something we could dramatically reduce within a generation? Benjamin Perks, Head of Campaigns and Advocacy at UNICEF, believes this is not only possible but within our grasp.

In this compelling conversation, Ben shares his remarkable journey from the residential care system in the UK—where he experienced gang involvement and street life—to becoming a global leader in child protection at the United Nations. The turning point? A teacher who took him under her wing when he was 15, becoming "the first adult I really had a proper conversation with."

Ben introduces us to the "Four S's" every child needs: to feel secure, safe, seen, and soothed. When children receive these fundamental experiences from family, they develop resilience against adversity. When family support is lacking, schools become the crucial secondary buffer. What's revolutionary about our moment in history is that we now have the knowledge and resources to ensure every child experiences these four essentials.

Drawing powerful parallels to public health victories that reduced child mortality by 61% through simple interventions, Ben outlines how universal parenting programs, extended parental leave, preschool access, and public awareness could achieve similar results with child maltreatment. The economic argument alone is staggering: child maltreatment costs societies up to 12% of GDP, while prevention measures would cost less than 1%.

Ben's personal healing journey demonstrates that recovery is possible at any age. After recognizing how his childhood affected his adult life, therapy transformed his world "from black and white to color." This transformation enabled him to break the cycle of insecure attachment with his own son—proof that intergenerational patterns can be disrupted with the right support.

Discover more in Ben's book "Trauma Proof: Healing, Attachment and the Science of Prevention," which weaves together scientific research with personal narratives of healing from around the world. Join us in believing that we can be the last generation to accept child trauma as inevitable.

About Ben:

Benjamin Perks is the Head of Campaigns and Advocacy in the Division of Global Communications and Advocacy  at the United Nations Children’s Fund, based in New York. He leads public and policy advocacy on the development and protection of children. 

He previously served in human rights diplomacy roles as the UNICEF Representative and UN Resident Coordinator ad interim to both the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Montenegro. In both capacities he advocated for reforms to fulfill international human rights commitments and realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

He has served in Georgia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, India and Albania. He coordinated the Back-to-School campaign in the Northern Afghanistan which brought 3 million children, including 1 million girls, into school-most of them for the first times in their lives. He has led work on demobilization of child solders, deinstitutionalization of children in state care, addressing child poverty, pre-school expansion and  disability inclusion.

Edits: 

Ben is referring to Kevin Brown in relation to the speaker about attachment.
When I refer to mosquitoes the study was actually of fleas!

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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Some projects change direction without losing their purpose—and that’s where real growth happens. I sit down with Portuguese clinical psychologist Adriana Dias to explore Ravira Volta, a pilot that helped girls in residential care and their birth families build healthier relationships by widening choice, deepening respect, and keeping reflection at the centre of the work. Rather than forcing a linear “turnaround,” Adriana’s team embraced non‑linear change: testing new strategies, adjusting the plan with supervision, and redefining success as the best possible connection for each family.

We trace how an external, dedicated team preserved role clarity with the residential home while working systemically across the whole family network. Adriana explains the project’s three layers of reflection—case thinking, design adaptation, and practitioner self-awareness—and why containment is the bridge that turns overwhelming feelings into manageable thought. That process helped parents move from defensiveness to agency, weighing their daughters’ needs alongside their own limits and, at times, choosing partial reunification as the healthiest path.

The conversation tackles the hardest dilemma in child protection: children’s urgent developmental timelines versus adults’ slower change. Adriana shows how honest, reflective supervision safeguarded perspective, prevented enmeshment, and kept the team humane and effective. We also talk integration, funding a pilot, and the big shift the team made—from idealistic “full reunification” to a more nuanced aim: sustained, healthy relationships that fit each family’s reality.

If you care about child protection, attachment, self-worth, or reflective practice, this one’s for you. Listen, share it with a colleague, and tell us: how would you define a “good outcome”—and what would it take to get there? Subscribe, leave a review, and join the conversation.

About Adriana:

Adriana graduated in Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto in 2006. She later completed a Master's degree in Special Education – with a Specialization in Early Intervention, from the Institute of Education of the University of Minho, in 2011.
 
Adriana is a Full member of the Portuguese Psychologists Association, is specialist in Clinical and Health Psychology, and has advanced specializations in Psychotherapy and Psychology of Justice.

Adriana also holds a Postgraduate degree in Child Protection from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Adriana recently led the Revira Volta project that sought to build healthy relationships between young people in the care of Livramento, and their birth families. 
 

Disclaimer:

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of pdcast owner, Colby Pearce

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What if the most powerful lever for child healing sits with the adults who show up every day? I sat down with trauma-informed educator and Wagtail Institute founder Megan Corcoran to unpack how belonging transforms classrooms—and why staff wellbeing isn’t a “nice to have,” it’s the backbone of consistent care. Drawing on years in alternative education and leadership, Megan lays out a clear path: support adults, stabilise culture, and simple, universal practices will start doing heavy lifting for learning and behaviour.

We explore the everyday moves that make a school feel safe: morning check-ins, predictable routines, regulating as a team, and a tone of unconditional positive regard. Megan and I also dig into secondary traumatic stress—what it looks like, how leaders can name it without stigma, and why peer support and supervision prevent professional dangerousness. You’ll hear how communities of practice create accountability and reduce isolation, and why modelling “this was hard—here’s what I’m doing about it” changes a whole culture more than any poster or policy.

At the centre I outline a practical compass: AURA—Accessible, Understanding, Responsive, Attuned. Be accessible by noticing early. Be understanding by naming the experience. Be responsive by offering support proactively. Be attuned by matching affect and guiding back to calm. These aren’t therapy techniques; they’re human habits that, done consistently, rebuild trust. We connect this to better learning: regulated nervous systems encode knowledge, and students who feel they belong can take risks, persist, and grow.

If you care about trauma-informed education, teacher retention, and real-world strategies that fit into busy days, this conversation will give you a framework you can use tomorrow and a north star you can build a school around. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and leaders can find it.

Who is Megan?

Megan Corcoran is the founder of Wagtail Institute, where she works alongside schools, youth services, and complex settings to strengthen wellbeing and build trauma-informed communities. With nearly twenty years’ experience teaching and leading in alternative education, Megan brings both professional expertise and lived understanding to her work.

Her vision is simple but powerful: that every child has a safe and magical childhood, supported by adults who believe in their future. At Wagtail Institute, Megan partners with those adults—educators, carers, and practitioners—helping them to feel supported, heal, and thrive, so they can continue doing this important work.

Disclaimer:

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of pdcast owner, Colby Pearce

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What if the most transformative thing we can do for children is to care for the carers first? That’s the provocative starting point for a wide-ranging conversation with psychotherapist and clinical leader Richard Cross, whose work brings attachment theory out of the textbook and into daily practice across residential homes, foster services, schools and clinical teams.

We explore how containment, supervision, and shared language turn trauma-informed care from a training buzzword into a living culture. Richard breaks down the ATIC approach—Attachment and Trauma Informed Care—built on two parallel pathways: one for staff and one for children. By mirroring the holding and reflection we want adults to offer children, organisations create teams that think clearly under pressure, tolerate uncertainty, and respond with consistency rather than reactivity. Practical structures like “amber flag” meetings and cross-service formulations help stop fragmentation and keep everyone aligned when the stakes are high.

We also tackle a contentious question: when is residential care the right first option? For some children who are phobic of family life due to traumatic histories, early, high-quality residential care provides the containment and predictable relationships required to stabilise, re-engage in education, and prepare for future family placements. Richard explains how better assessment, leadership that “walks the talk,” and credible outcome tracking help commissioners trust early interventions that reduce breakdowns and shorten the overall care journey. If you’re a practitioner, leader, foster carer, or policymaker, this conversation challenges short-term thinking and offers grounded, humane ways to match care to need.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review—what’s one change you’d make tomorrow to better care for the carers?

Richard’s Bio:

Richard is a UK Registered Psychotherapist and Child Psychotherapist.

His career for over 30 years has focused on working with relational approaches in areas associated with attachment, trauma and dissociation.

Richard’s early career was focused on developing relationally based treatments within correctional environments to reduce recidivism, as well as managing democratic prison-based Therapeutic Communities for high-risk adult life-sentenced offenders (HMP Dovegate, England).

Richard collaborated with Sandra Bloom to introduce the Sanctuary Model to the UK in 2004.

Since then, Richard has developed an interest in trauma-responsive models and continued his focus on Therapeutic Communities, exploring how to bring these aspects to life in organisational cultures. One example is a multi-component approach called ATIC (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care), which is now harnessed across multiple residential child care homes. 

Richard is actively involved in research and innovation, and he also provides consultancy services to organisations, and training to qualified mental health professionals. 

Richard is Director of Clinical Services at Five Rivers Child Care & Midhurst Children’s Therapeutic Services, where he leads teams of psychologists and psychotherapists. He is also a Fellow and Faculty member of the International Society for Trauma and Dissociation, and serves as a trustee of the Bowlby Centre in London and The Consortium of Therapeutic Communities (TCTC).

Disclaimer:

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not refle

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Imagine a world where we don’t just pull kids out of the river but walk upstream to stop them falling in. That’s the shift we make with Professor Julie Taylor, a leading nurse scientist whose work bridges health, social care, and the lived realities of families under pressure. Together we unpack child maltreatment as a public health challenge, not only a forensic problem, and explore what actually moves the needle on safety and wellbeing.

We dig into the socioecological model to map the layers that shape risk and protection: personal histories, family systems, schools, neighbourhoods, services, and policy. Julie reintroduces salutogenesis, the science of what creates health, to rebalance a field that can lean too hard on deficits. Instead of glorifying grit, we ask which supports make resilience possible: stable adults, predictable routines, inclusive classrooms, accessible care, and communities that offer belonging. From universal home visiting to parenting support embedded in trusted relationships, we look at why sustained, long-term help outperforms short, intensive bursts.

The conversation also takes on the “shiny program” problem and the evidence gap. We talk practical evaluation, data linkage, and why frontline teams need smaller caseloads, reflective supervision, and time to think. Then we zoom out to big levers. While poverty doesn’t cause abuse, it magnifies stress and chaos; reducing poverty, expanding paid parental leave, improving affordable childcare, and stabilising housing can lower risk at scale. No magic bullet exists, but a public health approach—paired with realistic investment in people and systems—can build social capital across generations.

If you care about prevention, policy, and the everyday craft of helping families, this conversation offers clarity and momentum. Follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with the one upstream change you’d fund first. Your insight might spark the next step forward.

Julie’s Bio:

Professor Julie Taylor is Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Julie is a nurse scientist specialising in child maltreatment and has extensive research experience with vulnerable populations using a wide range of qualitative and participative methods. Her research programme is concentrated at the interface between health and social care and is largely underpinned by the discourse of cumulative harm and the exponential effects of living with multiple adversities. In particular her work has concentrated on child neglect. 

Professor Taylor has given evidence at a number of inquiries and parliamentary groups and has served frequently on both funding and editorial boards.  She has authored ten books and over 150 academic articles on child abuse and neglect.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

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The work gets easier when the purpose gets clearer. I sit down with social care consultant and leadership trainer Tom Ellison to unpack how a simple, jargon-free primary task can reshape children’s residential care. Tom traces his path from frontline practice to boardrooms and back into coaching, explaining why so many teams know what “good” looks like yet struggle to do it consistently. His answer is both bold and practical: define the primary task, align everyone to it, and use supervision to keep that alignment steady.

Tom breaks alignment into a living practice rather than a slogan. He challenges leaders to risk being unpopular, take up their authority without apology, and draw straight lines from daily tasks to therapeutic aims. We examine the tension between Ofsted ratings and child-centred work, and why regulation should guide, not govern, your purpose. Clear responsibility, clean handovers, and a shared culture of safety reduce chaos and create space for growth.

We dive into supervision as the engine room of thoughtful care. Tom’s two-part frame—alignment and understanding—helps teams process anxiety, recognise projection and transference in plain language, and turn reflection into action. We talk neurology, trauma-informed practice, and why sanctions often fail. Most of all, we return to practical steps: ask what you’re here to do, what it looks like when done well, what gets in the way, and what the plan is. Keep the language simple, the authority grounded, and the purpose front and centre.

If this conversation helps you think and act with more clarity, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with one insight you’ll apply this week.

Tom's Bio:

Tom is an accomplished Consultant and leadership trainer with over 30 years in children’s residential care, specialising in innovative leadership and mental health support for young people. Through Elevate Professional Development, launched in 2025, he delivers UK-wide workshops to strengthen care leadership. With 20 years of boardroom experience, Tom has consistently driven strategic leadership and service transformation. Holding a BPS-approved Psychology degree, a Master’s in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies, and postgraduate qualifications in Management and Strategic Management, he blends academic and practical expertise. Currently, he serves as Non-Executive Chair at AMMA Childcare Ltd, Non-Executive Director at Cedars Childcare Ltd and Empathy CIC, and advises the leadership teams of a number of organisations in the third and independent
sectors.

Disclaimer

Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcast owner, Colby Pearce.

Support the show