Family Talk Live: ADHD, Trauma and the Young Mind
Caring for children with complexity – with Professor Helen Minnis

Caring for a child with ADHD brings energy, individuality, and challenge - and when trauma is also part of their story, the path can feel even more complicated. If you've ever found yourself stuck in a loop, wondering how best to support a young person in your care, this episode was made for you.

In this special edition of Care Visions Family Talk Live, we welcomed Professor Helen Minnis (University of Glasgow) to explore how trauma and neurodiversity intersect, and to share practical, research-informed approaches for supporting young people with complex needs.

About our guest:
Helen Minnis is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Glasgow. Her long-standing clinical and research work has focused on the psychiatric impact of abuse and neglect in childhood. Her recent research includes randomised controlled trials of infant mental health services for children in foster care and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy for primary school-aged children in adoptive or foster placements.

Helen also leads behavioural genetic studies investigating the role of abuse and neglect in the context of neurodevelopment across the life-course. Her collaborative work spans institutions including King’s College London, the Universities of Aalborg and Aarhus in Denmark, and the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Hosted by:
Dr Linda de Caestecker, a leading public health expert with over 30 years’ experience. Former Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow and Clyde, she currently advises the Scottish Government and holds board roles with Community Justice Scotland and Glasgow City Mission.

Raising children today means guiding them through an online world that changes rapidly. In this episode of Care Visions Family Talk, we explored a growing digital trend every carer should understand. Some online spaces aimed at boys and young men promise brotherhood and belonging, but also promote unhealthy and extreme ideas about gender, relationships, and identity. These spaces can be confusing and harmful, especially for teenagers who are still shaping their sense of self.

Professor Harriet Over, a psychologist from the University of York, joined Dr Linda de Caestecker to unpack how carers could recognise harmful online influences and support young people in navigating them.

Together, they covered:

• What these online communities looked like and why they appealed to boys and young men
• How extreme content spread through social media, gaming, and forums
• Signs that a young person might have been influenced by harmful messages
• How carers could open up non-judgemental conversations and build digital resilience

About our guest:
Professor Harriet Over is a professor of psychology at the University of York. Her research investigates the development of prejudice and discrimination in childhood. Her latest project, funded by the European Research Council, explored how online misogyny influences young people's behaviour and experiences.

About our host:
Dr Linda de Caestecker is a public health expert with over 30 years' experience, including as Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow and Clyde. With a clinical background in obstetrics and gynaecology, she advises the Scottish Government on health policy and serves on the boards of Community Justice Scotland and Glasgow City Mission.

This episode formed part of Care Visions Family Talks – a one-hour online interview series profiling expert work in child development, followed by audience Q&A. These talks aim to share valuable insights from professionals with foster carers, parents, and anyone raising young people.

Recorded live at The Grange Manor in Grangemouth, this powerful panel discussion explored how exploitation is evolving in today’s digital world. Whether you work with young people, are raising children through uncertain times, or simply want to deepen your understanding, this conversation offered vital insight.

Exploitation in 2025 isn’t always visible. It can occur through a screen, behind closed doors, or in plain sight. From exposure to pornography and online grooming, to coercion via social media and peer pressure, young people are facing risks previous generations could hardly imagine.

Hosted by public health expert Dr Linda de Caestecker, the panel featured:

• Professor Alexis Jay, renowned child protection expert and former Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
• Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Lead at Crimestoppers, who has spearheaded national campaigns including work on sextortion awareness

Together, they unpacked the current landscape of online exploitation, how it manifests, and what practical steps we can take to better support and protect the young people in our lives.

What we covered:

• How online platforms can be used for grooming, coercion, and exploitation
• The risks young people face around what they learn online about sex and relationships
• The importance of early intervention, open dialogue, and spotting warning signs
• How parents, carers, educators, and professionals can respond with clarity and compassion

This episode is part of Care Visions’ commitment to raising awareness and empowering communities to take action.

In this thoughtful and reflective conversation, author and broadcaster Humphrey Hawksley spoke with John Whitwellabout his remarkable career in child care and therapeutic practice.

John began his work at the pioneering Cotswold Community, becoming its Principal in 1985. During his time there, he worked alongside influential figures such as Richard Balbernie, Barbara Dockar-Drysdale, and Isabel Menzies Lyth, helping to shape therapeutic residential care for children. He later became Managing Director of the UK’s first independent fostering agency, Integrated Services Programme, where he developed therapeutic approaches within family settings.

A qualified Group Psychotherapist, John has also contributed as a trustee for Gloucester Counselling Service, the Planned Environment Trust, and the Mulberry Bush Organisation.

This episode explored:

• The core principles of therapeutic care
• The role of psychodynamic theory in both residential and foster care
• The healing power of relationships and how to realise their therapeutic potential
• The importance of creating community to support recovery and development

Listeners were also invited to reflect on John's deep experience and personal journey, offering valuable insights into how children’s wellbeing and recovery from trauma can be supported across different care contexts.

Who was this for?
This episode was designed for anyone interested in children’s emotional development and recovery from trauma. It was particularly relevant to professionals working in residential child care, foster care, social work, education, therapy, and counselling.

About our host: Humphrey Hawksley
An acclaimed author, foreign correspondent, and commentator, Humphrey Hawksley has reported from across the globe for the BBC, covering major trends, conflicts, and social issues. His documentaries have examined human rights in global trade, development failures, the nuclear industry, and democracy across cultures. He is also the author of the Future History series and several international thrillers, and has written for major newspapers and lectured at top universities.

In this powerful and open conversation hosted by Care Visions Family Talk, Dr Linda de Caestecker spoke with Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Lead at Crimestoppers Scotland, about the growing threat of sextortion — a form of online blackmail increasingly targeting young people. Together, they tackled the fear, shame, and silence surrounding this issue, with the goal of equipping parents and carers to better protect the young people in their lives.

Lyndsay brought over 20 years of experience in the third sector and a deep commitment to youth-led work to the discussion. Since launching Crimestoppers' youth service Fearless in Scotland in 2016, she has championed lived experience and meaningful youth co-production. Over the past year, she led the development of a nationwide campaign on sextortion, which reached millions across youth-focused platforms and provided dedicated resources for both young people and the adults who support them.

This session explored:

• How sextortion typically happens and how online predators manipulate trust
• Warning signs to look out for
• Ways to open up honest, preventative conversations
• Tips for helping teens stay safer online

Listeners came away with a greater understanding of how to respond to this threat with confidence and compassion, as well as insight into a vital campaign making a real impact across Scotland.

Separation and divorce often felt like an emotional whirlwind, not just for parents but for children too. As parents, we tried to shield our children from hurt while helping them make sense of the changes unfolding around them. It was a delicate balance that could easily feel overwhelming.

In this episode of Care Visions Family Talk, Dr Linda de Caestecker spoke with Sue Atkins, a parenting coach, broadcaster and best-selling author, to explore how we could support children through the challenges of separation and divorce.

With over 35 years of experience as a parenting coach and Deputy Headteacher, Sue had been a guiding light for countless families navigating tough times. Many recognised her from ITV’s This Morning, Good Morning Britain or BBC Radio, where she shared heartfelt, practical advice to help parents support their children in building resilience and finding stability during periods of change.

Sue was also the creator of the award-winning Divorce Journal for Kids, a thoughtful resource designed to help children process their feelings around divorce. She had written several books, including Parenting Made Easy – How to Raise Happy Children, offering compassionate guidance to parents on starting difficult conversations and creating a nurturing environment.

Whether you had experienced separation yourself or wanted to support someone who had, this conversation offered warmth and practical advice to help families move forward together. Tune in to listen, connect and support one another.

More information on Sue and her extensive work was available via her website: Sue Atkins The Parenting Coach

Podcast Episode: What We Fear Most – A Conversation on Trauma, Psychiatry, and the Human Condition

In this powerful live-recorded conversation, broadcaster and author Humphrey Hawksley spoke with Dr Humphrey Needham-Bennett, forensic psychiatrist and author of the critically acclaimed book What We Fear Most (written under the pen name Ben Cave). Together, they explored the human condition through the lens of someone who has worked closely with individuals often seen as beyond society’s understanding.

The discussion offered a moving, compelling, and at times challenging insight into the world of forensic psychiatry, shaped by Dr Needham-Bennett’s decades of experience in prisons and secure hospitals.

Listeners heard reflections on:

• The impact of childhood trauma across the life course
• The relationship between drug use and pathways to offending
• What to expect from mental health services, psychiatry, and psychology
• Complex mental health disorders and co-morbidities
• The vital role of teamwork in care
• Coping with adverse outcomes
• The effects of violence and stress on the health and social care workforce

This episode was designed for anyone interested in bringing greater humanity into human services and was particularly relevant to professionals in social work, healthcare, social care, criminal justice, and community support.

About our guest: Dr Humphrey Needham-Bennett
A Consultant General and Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr Needham-Bennett manages Needhams Medical LLP, providing medico-legal reports and conducting Serious Incident Reviews. With over thirty years of experience in the NHS, private practice, and secure settings, he has worked extensively with some of the most complex and vulnerable individuals in society.

About our host: Humphrey Hawksley
An acclaimed author, foreign correspondent, and commentator, Humphrey Hawksley has reported globally for the BBC, covering major events, conflicts, and social issues. His work spans documentaries on human rights, global trade, nuclear power, and democracy, as well as the Future History book series and several international thrillers.

In this insightful episode of Family Talk, Independent Chartered Psychologist Edwina Grant sat down with Dr Linda de Caestecker, Public Health Doctor, and David King, Supervising Social Worker and PACE trainer, to explore how the PACE model—Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy—can transform relationships with children who have experienced stress or trauma.

Designed for parents and caregivers, this online event offered a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to nurturing emotional regulation, trust, and healing.

Children who face emotional challenges often carry feelings of shame and mistrust, which can shape their behaviours and relationships. PACE provides a brain-based, relational framework that supports safe and secure connections while fostering understanding and resilience.

In this session, listeners learned how to:

• Use the four elements of PACE to strengthen bonds with their child
• Support emotional co-regulation and reflective behaviour
• Recognise and address the impact of shame and emotional overwhelm
• Create a nurturing environment where healing and growth are possible

By focusing on the child’s internal experience rather than just outward behaviours, PACE helps to reduce conflict, build trust, and promote lasting connection.

About our guest:

Edwina Grant is an Independent Chartered Psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with children and families across residential, therapeutic, and local authority settings. She currently provides assessments, training, consultancy, and therapeutic support through both statutory and voluntary organisations. Edwina is also a Trustee of Scottish Attachment in Action (www.scottishattachmentinaction.org), a charity dedicated to promoting secure attachment across Scotland and influencing positive change in social policy, education, and mental health.