HomeLatest podcasts

Latest podcasts

The Variety Vodcast series throws a spotlight on some of the charity's wonderful Celebrity Ambassadors, exploring their growing up years, how they got to where they are now, and what supporting Variety means to them. 

Variety's Pod-Ability podcast series explores the unseen, complex challenges facing the parents and families of disabled children, offering in-depth discussion as well as practical suggestions and signposting. Our closed Facebook group offers a safe, private, supportive and understanding space to talk about issues raised by each episode with like-minded parents and families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Listen and subscribe on Apple iTunes Podcasts          RSS feed Podability

The Variety Vodcast: Caroline Monk chats to John Culshaw

21st December 2020

In the first episode of The Variety Vodcast, impressionist and comedian Jon Culshaw – a long-standing Variety supporter – reminisces with host Caroline 'Monkey' Monk about Variety children’s Christmas parties, growing up in Lancashire and wanting to be Dr Who, and explains why Mike Yarwood is still his biggest influence. Jon also treats audiences to some spot-on accurate impressions of a couple of very famous people!

Listen Here

What financial relief is available to families with disabled children?

3rd October 2020
What financial relief are families with disabled children in the UK entitled to? And how should they go about accessing it? Does a child need a formal diagnosis for a family to claim? How has the benefits system changed during the pandemic with regard to disabled children? To discuss these questions and more, our host Dave King is joined remotely over Skype by Carlos Hagi, who is a member of the Expert Advice Team at Citizens Advice Head Office, specialising in welfare benefits. Carlos brings over 35 years’ experience as a welfare benefits adviser. Also joining Dave, is Mark Arnold, whose son James has a range of additional needs.
Listen Here

How parents can look after the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children with disabilities during the coronavirus crisis

1st May 2020
While it is reassuring that the COVID-19 virus rarely makes children physically ill, in this episode, we’re exploring what impact the coronavirus crisis is having on the mental health of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and how parents can best look after their emotional wellbeing at home during the current lockdown, while responding to the crisis in a way that builds their emotional resilience. Dave King is joined remotely over Skype by Tamsin Cottis, an acclaimed senior child psychotherapist and pioneer in the area of psychotherapy for children with learning disabilities, and Rosalind Grainger, mother of Esja who has a learning disability.
Listen Here

Managing your child's sensory needs at home under lockdown

17th April 2020
Official coronavirus lockdown advice has, for the most part, ignored the way the lives of children with sensory difficulties have been turned upside down. In this episode we’re asking: 'What impact is the current lockdown situation having on your child with sensory issues? And how can you manage them at home?' Pod-Ability host, Dave King, is joined remotely over Skype by Zoe Mailloux, an occupational therapist and internationally-renowned expert in the area of sensory integration, as well as Michael and Paul Atwal-Brice, parents to twins Levi and Lucas, both of whom have autism, among other conditions.

Listen Here