This week we are joined by Dr Brianna Bowen; Brianna talks to us about how Educational Psychologists can support families experiencing significant adversity and at risk of entering care. She shares how her grounded theory study highlighted the ways EPs can help families build belonging, resilience, safety, and healing—factors that can make a real difference in keeping families together, strong, and connected. To access the full text, follow: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/180062/...

This week we are joined by Jennifer Price; Jenny talks to us about how autistic secondary students experience sensory sensitivities in the school environment and how these impact their daily lives. She discusses how her study sought to amplify autistic students’ voices, using accessible methods to empower them to share their perspectives. Jennifer reflects on how the findings have been described as “a call to action” for those working in mainstream education, highlighting the urgent nee...

This week we are joined by Dr Rhiannon Warwick; Rhiannon talks to us about how Educational Psychologists and Social Workers in Wales view the role of the EP within multi-agency teams supporting care experienced children. Rhiannon discusses how she used a cultural-historical activity theory framework to explore these perspectives, shedding light on how EPs can work collaboratively within social care teams to support children more effectively. To access the full text, follow: https://expl...

In this special episode, Laura, Owen, and Ellyn come together to catch up and reflect on the highlights of the fantastic EdPsy Festival of Educational Psychology.

This week we are joined by Alex Brownhill; Alex talks to us about embedding social justice principles within educational psychology services. Alex draws on their preliminary research titled ‘Massive changes through little conversations’, they explore how educational psychology professionals are currently enacting social justice in their work, their hopes for deeper integration of these principles, and the barriers and facilitators they encounter. This reflective discussion highlights the powe...

This week we are joined by Dr Jessica Pritchard. Jess talks to us about her research that aimed to explore the topic of children being exploited through County Lines in the UK, through a language-based enquiry. Jess’ study specifically investigated how professionals talk about children who are caught up in the cycle of exploitation, and what the significance of this might be. To access the full text, follow: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/171059/ You can find us at: Instagram: psychbi...

This week we are joined by Daisy Bloor. Daisy talks to us about the challenges teachers face when delivering sex education to autistic learners. We discuss how sex education plays a vital role in helping young people understand relationships, navigate sexuality, manage rejection, and know where to seek support. Daisy’s research suggests that current sex education curriculums are not adequately tailored to neurodiverse learners, leaving them at greater risk and disadvantage in developing...

This week we are joined by Dr. Mary Stanley-Duke for part two of our episode about the Mediating Learning Support Approach (MeLSA). In part two of our conversation, Mary talks to us about the MeLSA’s experiences of training, the ‘what, where and whys’ of learning and what research has been conducted to explore MeLSA. For more information: Stanley-Duke, M., Wright, D., Cook, E., Reid, A., Cogan, O., Reese, S., Bull-Beddows, R., Sims, L. and Graves, F. 2022. The Psychological Foundations ...

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Mary Stanley-Duke to explore the Mediating Learning Support Approach (MeLSA). In part one of our conversation, Mary explains the principles of mediating learning, outlines the structure of the MeLSA training programme, and shares how the project has evolved since its inception. For more information: Stanley-Duke, M., Wright, D., Cook, E., Reid, A., Cogan, O., Reese, S., Bull-Beddows, R., Sims, L. and Graves, F. 2022. The Psychological Foundations of The M...

This week we are joined by Dr Catherine Jones; Catherine talks to us about how autistic children and young people experience sensory rooms in schools and how these spaces can contribute to their wellbeing. Catherine discusses the findings of her team’s research, which highlight the importance of autonomy and demonstrate how sensory rooms can support pupil wellbeing by providing spaces that foster self-regulation. To access Catherine’s research, follow: https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/sta...

This week we are joined by Dr Hannah Togneri; Hannah talks to us about how young people experience eco-anxiety and eco-awareness and how their concerns can lead to action in schools. Hannah discusses how she implemented a process called "linked co-operative inquiry" to connect the pupils and school staff, working together to address environmental issues, developing a new sense of connection amongst emotionally caring others in school. To access Hannah’s full text, follow: https://orca.car...

This week we are joined by Dr Dan O’Hare; Dan talks to us about the evolving concept of evidence-based practice within the Educational Psychology (EP) profession. He discusses how traditional views on evidence-based practice, which soley rely on research evidence, have been criticised for being impractical and instead presents the growing advocacy for practices grounded in practitioner experience. To access Dan’s full text, follow: Evidence-based practice: a mixed methods approach to under...

It’s a double milestone celebration this month as we turn 1 and hit an incredible 10,000 listens! In this special episode, we reflect on a year of podcasting—sharing our hopes for the pod, fun stats, and what we’ve learned along the way. Thank you to our fantastic guests and listeners for all of the support. Tune in to celebrate with us. Don’t worry, normal service resumes in two weeks! Instagram: psychbitespod X / Twitter: @psychbitespod LinkedIn: psychbites-podcast Bluesky: @psychbites.bsk...

This week we are joined by Dr Gavin Morgan. Gavin talks to us about a survey conducted by the British Psychological Society which found that just over half of all educational psychologists say they feel unable to support children and young people with their current workload, signalling the devastating impact of years of underinvestment in the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system, despite unprecedented demand. He brings attention to the BPS’s campaign which is calling for...

This week we are joined by Dr Alyssa M Alcorn for Part 2 of our episode about the Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) project. The LEANS participatory research project developed and evaluated a free curriculum for mainstream primary schools. LEANS introduces neurodiversity concepts to pupils aged 8-11 years and explores how this type of diversity impacts our experiences at school. Note: Dr Alyssa M Alcorn is now a lecturer at the School of Psychological Science at the University ...

This week we are joined by Dr Alyssa M Alcorn; Alyssa talks to us about the Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) project. The LEANS participatory research project developed and evaluated a free curriculum for mainstream primary schools. LEANS introduces neurodiversity concepts to pupils aged 8-11 years and explores how this type of diversity impacts our experiences at school. Note: Dr Alyssa M Alcorn is now a lecturer at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bri...

This week we are joined by Dr Abigail Wright; Abi talks to us about her research which explored the individual strengths of autistic children and whether they were more likely to show 'Theory of Mind’ when tasks were adapted to the children’s unique strengths, interests and areas of support, compared to a ‘standard’ task. Abi also gives us a brief insight into the exciting early years project she is involved in. To access to Abi's full text, follow: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/95...

This week we are joined by Dr Melissa Mel Morrison; Mel talks to us about her research which explored the perceptions of adolescent girls of the relationship between sports based extra-curricular activities and their wellbeing. Melissa hopes that her research will help to inform both educational settings and professionals to consider how they can broaden their approach towards supporting wellbeing. You can find us at: Instagram: psychbitespod X / Twitter: @psychbitespod LinkedIn: psychbite...

This week we are joined by Dr Mollie Higgins; Mollie talks to us about her research which explored autistic pupils' experiences of school by asking them about their ideal and non-ideal type of school. The pupils described the type of school environment that would support their attendance, which provided useful ideas for adjustments and adaptations that might help neurodivergent students to attend school. To access to Mollie's full text click here. You can also access Mollie’s Ed Ps...

This week we are joined by Professor Stephen Rollnick. In part two of our two part special, Steve talks to us about the origin and foundations of Motivational Interviewing (MI), and what MI could look like when applied to schools. Here are some helpful links to find out more about MI, and the work of Professor Stephen Rollnick: https://www.stephenrollnick.com/ https://www.micardiff.co.uk/ BMJ Training Link: https://rmifamily.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/bmj-learning-modules-motivational-inter...