Care Visions Talks
Care Visions Talks
Care Visions Talks is a podcast series that brings together voices from across care, education, health and community support to explore what it really means to care — and to be cared for.
The series includes two strands:
Care Visions Family Talk is hosted by Dr Linda de Caestecker, former Director of Public Health and experienced paediatrician. These warm, accessible conversations are designed for parents, carers and families. Topics include childhood trauma, fostering, resilience, separation and mental health, with expert guests offering practical guidance and compassionate insight.
Care Visions Professional Talk is hosted by Humphrey Hawksley, award-winning author, broadcaster and former BBC foreign correspondent. These in-depth episodes are created for those working in or studying social care, health, education and related fields. Guests include thought leaders, researchers and practitioners discussing the emotional realities, challenges and evolving practices in work with children, young people and families.
Whether you're a parent, a professional, or someone passionate about care and community, Care Visions Talks offers space to listen, reflect and learn.
Care Visions Talks
Care Visions Family Talk - Caring For Yourself As A Parent
In this heartfelt episode of Care Visions Family Talk, Public Health Doctor Dr Linda de Caestecker spoke with renowned family therapist and author Caroline Penney, who brought both professional expertise and personal insight to the conversation on parenting.
Drawing from her book The Parenting Toolkit, Caroline explored why self-care is essential—not selfish—and how caring for ourselves directly supports our children’s wellbeing. She also reflected on how our own childhood experiences shape the way we parent, often in unconscious ways, and offered gentle, practical guidance for breaking unhelpful patterns and parenting with more confidence, connection, and compassion.
What Listeners Took Away from the Episode:
- The importance of self-care as a foundation for effective parenting
- Insight into how generational patterns influence our approach to raising children
- Practical tools for navigating parenting with greater balance and ease
- Encouragement to reflect, learn, and grow in a supportive, non-judgemental space
About Our Guest:
Caroline Penney is a systemic family therapist and leading parenting expert with over 30 years’ experience. A descendant of Sigmund and Anna Freud, she has dedicated her career to supporting families through evidence-based parenting courses and therapeutic work. Caroline’s background spans nursing, teaching, and community-based parenting education, including her leadership of the Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities project at South London and Maudsley Hospital. Her programmes—such as Baby and Us, Being A Parent, and Understanding Teenagers—have reached families across the UK and internationally in countries including Australia, Nigeria, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
For more information, visit: Caroline Penney – Parenting Specialist and Family Therapist.