In this episode of Care Visions Talks: Professional Talk, host Humphrey Hawksley is joined by Dr Andrew G. Thomas, PhD for a thoughtful conversation exploring male identity in a rapidly changing social world.
Together, they examine how masculinity is evolving, the pressures facing boys and men today, and what this means for families, care systems, education and professional practice.

In this conversation, we explore:
• How male identity is shaped by culture and expectation
• The challenges facing boys and young men
• Masculinity, mental health and emotional expression
• Relationships, belonging and purpose
• The role of care systems and professionals
• Supporting healthier male development

This episode offers valuable insight for parents, carers, educators and professionals supporting boys and young men in today’s society.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

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In this episode of Care Visions Talks: Family Talk, host Lucy Johnston is joined by Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister OBE MP for a timely and in-depth conversation on fostering reform in the UK.

Drawing on his leadership of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the Minister outlines a vision to transform a system he believes has become too focused on process rather than people.

From the urgent need to recruit 10,000 new foster carers, to removing unnecessary barriers preventing families from stepping forward, this discussion explores what meaningful reform could look like — and why change is needed now.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The foster carer shortage in the UK
• Plans to recruit 10,000 new foster carers
• Barriers facing prospective fostering families
• Approval processes and bureaucratic challenges
• Children being placed far from home
• Stability, belonging and community connections
• Investment and future reform plans

If you care about the future of fostering, children’s social care, and creating stable, loving homes, this is an essential conversation.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.

In this episode of Care Visions Talks: Professional Talk, host Humphrey Hawksley is joined by Professor Claire Cameron, the UK’s first Professor of Social Pedagogy, for a reflective and practice-focused conversation about care, relationships and professional culture.

Drawing on a career spanning residential care, frontline social work, research and policy, Claire explores how care systems function — and where they risk losing their relational core.

In this conversation, we explore:
• What social pedagogy is and why it matters
• The role of relationships in care practice
• Moving beyond compliance and procedures
• Ethics, dignity and everyday care
• Lessons for social workers and practitioners
• Leadership and organisational culture
• Supporting children and families relationally

Claire reflects on how care has evolved over time, where systems risk becoming overly procedural, and how social pedagogy offers a hopeful and practical framework for the future of care.

This episode is particularly relevant for professionals working in:
• Social work
• Fostering
• Residential care
• Education
• Youth work
• Children’s services
• Policy and leadership

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.

In this episode of Care Visions Family Talk, host Lucy Johnston is joined by Mary Sharpe, Chief Executive of The Reward Foundation, for an open and informative conversation about the impact of online pornography on young people’s brains, wellbeing, relationships, and development.

Together they explore why children are being exposed at increasingly young ages, how the adolescent brain responds to highly stimulating online content, and what families, carers, and professionals can do to support young people with understanding rather than fear or judgement. The discussion draws on neuroscience, health research, and real-world experience, offering reassurance and practical insight for anyone navigating this sensitive topic.

This episode is not about blame. It’s about awareness, compassion, and helping young people grow up informed, safe, and supported in a digital world.

🎧 Available now as part of Care Visions Talks on all major podcast platforms.

Resources & Links Mentioned

The Reward Foundation
https://rewardfoundation.org

Your Brain on Porn
https://www.yourbrainonporn.com

Reward Foundation – Parent’s Guide
https://rewardfoundation.org/parents-guide/

Reward Foundation – Healthcare Professionals Course
https://rewardfoundation.org/healthcare-professionals/

Reward Foundation – Schools & Lesson Plans
https://rewardfoundation.org/schools/

Naked Truth Project
https://nakedtruthproject.com

NoFap
https://www.nofap.com

Stop It Now!
https://www.stopitnow.org

World Health Organization – ICD-11
https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/classification-of-diseases

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.

In this episode of Family Talk, Linda de Caestecker is joined by Gael Cochrane, Learning, Development and Innovation Lead at Community Justice Scotland, to explore how pornography and the online “manosphere” are shaping the lives, attitudes and relationships of young people today.

Drawing on the Many Good Men project and years of experience in sexual health, relationships education and justice social work, Gael explains:

• How early and often children are now exposed to pornography
• The links between porn, misogyny, the manosphere and influencers like Andrew Tate
• How violent and extreme content is becoming normalised in teenage relationships
• The impact on self-esteem, body image, consent, intimacy and mental health

Most importantly, Linda and Gael talk about what parents, carers and grandparents can actually do: setting boundaries around devices, using parental controls, opening up honest conversations, supporting boys to express their emotions and helping young people recognise healthy relationships and respect.

This is a frank but hopeful conversation, offering practical ideas to help adults support the children and young people they care about to stay safe, informed and connected.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.

Poverty, Phones and the Future of Childhood
with host Lucy Johnston and guest Mary Glasgow

In this compelling episode, host Lucy Johnston speaks with Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children 1st, about the urgent challenges shaping modern childhood in Scotland. Together they explore how poverty, the digital world, post-lockdown behaviours, family stress, and community strain are impacting children — and what adults can do to genuinely support them.

Mary offers grounded, real-world insight into why children’s behaviour has shifted, why families feel more overwhelmed than ever, and how strong relationships, early intervention and community-based support can transform children’s futures. This conversation is a clear, compassionate look at what childhood needs now — and how we can build a Scotland where every child feels safe, connected and able to thrive.

A must-listen for carers, parents, social workers, educators and anyone invested in the wellbeing of Scotland’s young people.

Host: Humphrey Hawksley
Guests:

• Associate Professor Yvalia Febrer, Associate Professor of Social Work, Kingston University London
• Danny Henderson, Service Manager, Care Visions

Episode Summary:
How do we move beyond systems and structures to create spaces of belonging for young people in residential care? In this thoughtful discussion, Associate Professor Yvalia Febrer and Danny Henderson join Humphrey Hawksley to explore the human side of care — where relationships, trust, and reflection shape real outcomes.

They discuss the roots of social pedagogy, its practical value for teams, and how it empowers both carers and young people to learn, grow, and flourish together.

Listen to explore:

• Why belonging is the foundation for becoming
• The balance between care and education
• What reflective practice really looks like in a team
• How social pedagogy can shift organisational culture

A rich, reflective conversation that reminds us: care is not just what we do — it’s how we connect.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.

Why are so many boys feeling angry, numb, lonely or adrift — and who’s rushing in to offer them answers?

In this conversation, Lucy Johnston speaks with Mark Brooks OBE, chair of the Mankind Initiative and a leading voice on men’s wellbeing and healthy masculinity. Together they explore why some boys and young men are getting pulled towards misogynistic online influencers, and what parents, carers, schools and communities can actually do about it.

We talk about:

• The “manosphere”: why some content hooks boys in, and why most boys don’t actually believe the worst of it
• Loneliness, shame and quiet sedation — boys disappearing into their bedrooms instead of acting out
• Pornography, gambling and algorithms that keep pushing harmful content
• Suicide risk in boys and young men, and why so many reach crisis before anyone realises
• The impact of school, role models and male identity (including why boys often feel judged before they’ve done anything wrong)
• How to talk to a teenage boy you’re worried about, without pushing him further away
• Why “toxic masculinity” is not helping, and what boys actually need instead: possibilities, pathways and people on their side
• How dads, foster carers and male carers can change a boy’s life simply by being present, hopeful and consistent

Key message from Mark Brooks: if we don’t listen to boys, someone else will — and that “someone else” is already online, waiting.

About our guest
Mark Brooks OBE is chair of the Mankind Initiative and a long-standing campaigner on men’s mental health, inclusion and safety. He works nationally on issues including male suicide, domestic abuse, healthy masculinity and support for boys.

About Family Talks
Family Talks is a Care Visions series about what really helps children and young people to thrive. We speak honestly with people working on the front line of care, mental health, education and community.

If you’re worried about a boy in your care

• Stay close, stay curious, not accusatory
• Keep reminding him you’re on his side
• Help him get offline and back into real-world connection: sport, outdoors, purpose, belonging
  If you believe someone is at immediate risk of harm, seek urgent professional support.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

Explore all episodes and resources:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Listen and follow:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/care-visions-talks/id1819875561

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cG6jiszfjSBvyLsFjfpre

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CareVisionsTalks

Follow on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/carevisionstalks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareVisionsTalks

Join our mailing list for new episodes, events and updates:
https://carevisionsfostering.co.uk/care-visions-family-talk

Subscribe to stay connected with Care Visions Talks.