This episode really moves us into the final phase of this series of "Taking Action" - (look out for an announcement about future plans soon). We are going to be "looking in" with Warren Larkin to see how Scotland looks from an external perspective. We are then going to look back with John Carnochan and Karyn McCluskey, before we look forward with the return of Suzanne Zeedyk

Warren Larkin is remarkable. As I describe him in the programme, he is a Renaissance Man of the ACEs movement. You will get details on him from his website

https://warrenlarkinassociates.co.uk/ and it is impressive

His own education story is fascinating = https://warrenlarkinassociates.co.uk/2018/01/08/about-warren-larkin/

During Covid, Warren headed up a Resilience Task Force to try to mitigate long-term impacts. Here is a link to one of those videos in 2020:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzYr39Cwobg

He is particularly well known for his work promoting Routine Enquiry about Adversity in Childhood - the REACh model. He talks about this in his podcast.
https://warrenlarkinassociates.co.uk/portfolio-items/routine-enquiry-about-adversity-in-childhood-reach-programme/


Here is the work he is doing to build trauma-sensitive schools now:
https://warrenlarkinassociates.co.uk/portfolio-items/trauma-sensitive-schools/


He is a lead partner in a project working in schools to help them develop an understanding of trauma informed practice. Again, he talks about this in his podcast.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/home-office-and-yef-fund-5-8m-trauma-informed-practice-research/

That pedigree and his wide experience make him a perfect guest to offer an external perspective on the ACEs movement in Scotland. He delivers that with passion, humour, insight and depth. I know I always say this, but I always mean it, this episode is worth your time!

I know that people can listen to this podcast anytime, but it is being posted as the Christmas edition for 2025 and it is, appropriately, a cracker!!

Suzanne Zeedyk has been mentioned in a number of the earlier episodes and has, clearly, been hugely influential in the efforts to make sure that the Scottish public is a familiar as possible with the science of ACEs. The idea for this "Taking Action” series stemmed from Suzanne's vision for a year of celebration to mark the 20 years of Scotland's ACE's journey. Many of the guests have come from connections that shehas fostered.

For all of these reasons it seems wonderfully appropriate to mark the last of our 2025 episodes with her thoughts. It is also appropriate that this is the first of two episodes that we will record with Suzanne. We plan to take a break over Christmas and New Year and return on the 9th of January when we will feature Warren Larkin, Professor, Consultant, Speaker, Trainer, Psychologist and more, giving us reflections our achievements in Scotland from an external perspective. This will be our “looking in" episode. We will then follow that with the redoubtable Karyn McCluskey and John Carnochan (the "redoubtable" applies to both of them!!!) talking about the original establishment of the Violence Reduction Unit in 2005, which kick started the efforts being marked in this year of celebration. It will be our "looking back" episode.

After that we will conclude the series with Suzanne and I jointly "looking forward”.

In the meantime, please enjoy this episode which reviews the series so far, exploring Suzanne's background and current work, which stands alongside what she has done in the 15 years she has been working with the public.

Here are lots of links to explore if you want to contact Suzanne or find out more and follow up some of the aspects of our discussion.

• Suzanne’s website: www.suzannezeedyk.com
• connected baby website: www.connectedbaby.net
• Article written by Suzanne (2023) on the history of the ACEs Movement in Scotland:https://connectedbaby.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ACEs-Journey-Article-.pdf
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• Graphic booklet on Scotland’s ACEs Journey, created by connected baby: https://connectedbaby.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ACEs-Journey-book-screen-190625.pdf
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• Article by Suzanne (2022) on disseminating science to the public, in which she takes about the power of stories: https://mindinmind.org.uk/thought-pieces/science-of-attachment/
• Discussion with Piers Cross and Suzanne Zeedyk (2020) on boarding school trauma: https://www.piers-cross.com/aem-podcast-36-suzanne-zeedyk-ph-d-aem-36-suzanne-zeedyk-developmental-psychologist-attachment-theory-aces-trauma-boarding-school
• Substack articles on Fierce Curiosity: https://suzannezeedyk.substack.com/
• Feedback video on Daring Ventures Programme in Fife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw9GLoV3Sz0
• What Then Must We Do by Tolstoy: https://philoonbooks.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/what-then-must-we-do-by-leo-tolstoy/

I have been keen to record another episode of this series which focussed on Further Education to follow up the wonderful episode with Jackie Galbraith from West Lothian College. Kirsten Harrold is a worthy successor.

Kirsten is a brilliant combination intellect and rigour, with a deep knowledge of the theory of child development and of attachment, and a resolute pragmatism and practicality. All of that is delivered in a completely unpretentious way laced with energy, enthusiasm and humour.

She is a great guest with a great story to tell. The training offered to early years practitioners at Edinburgh College is exemplary. They are really well-supported. Every detail of the courses and the context in which the courses are delivered is given deep thought. Kirsten is full of ideas about how to create a culture, how to maximise the potential of students and how to establish an environment for learning.

She and her colleagues have also gone well beyond what we might traditionally think of as courses and she talks about some off the events which the team have run out of the normal college timetable. This has given students access to really influential thinkers like Claudia Gold and Iain McGilchrist and others.

This is a classic example of how we can set high standards and expectations while still recognising the needs of students and the importance of positive relationships.

The latest example of this is a screening of the film Love and Trouble https://www.screen.scot/film-in-scotland/made-in-scotland/film/love-and-trouble which we discussed with film distributor Christo Hird in another episode of this series. That showing will be at Edinburgh College on the 15th of January and details of how to purchase tickets will be available from the College nearer the time.