Tiny Chair Podcast

Dr. Jacqueline Harding is an international child development education expert and the author of The Brain That Loves to Play. She's been a headteacher and consultant as well as a government advisor and a BBC education editor working on programs like Peter Rabbit, Teletubbies, Clangers, Bing, Baby Vibes, and is a contributor to CBeebies Parenting. She is an honorary visiting research fellow at Middlesex University and the chair of the Bright Start Foundation. Rachel Barnett-Jones is a writer, producer, and educator with a particular passion for writing for young people. You'll have seen her work on Pip and Rosie and Magic Light Pictures. She's worked extensively within education settings and is currently working with Equity Spotlight, BBC Safeguarding and the TV Human Rights Foundation, as well as the Network of Children in Unemployment and Education. Rachel recently set up Sensible Creative, which seeks to create a safer and kinder arts landscape, especially for young professional performers.

Safeguarding expert Ann Marie Christian joins Matt and Julia for a frank conversation about keeping children safe in Early Years settings. With over 30 years of experience as a social worker, LADO, DSL, and safeguarding consultant, Ann Marie shares hard-won lessons from real investigations. We cover CCTV in nurseries, the 2026 KCSIE and Safer Sleep changes, spotting grooming, the grey areas of physical touch, and how to build a setting where staff feel safe to speak up.

Her website:
https://annmariechristian.com/

Laura Henry-Allain MBE is an award-winning international educator, author, speaker, and consultant. She knows Early Years inside out and has been everything from a nursery manager to an Ofsted inspector, and is vice-president of The British Association for Early Childhood Education. Laura received a Nursery World lifetime achievement award in 2021. Laura also plays many roles in children’s media, including educational consultant for the BBC and board member for The Children's Media Foundation. She is also the mind behind, “My Skin, Your Skin”, “Maya and Marley”, and “JoJo and Gran Gran”. Laura is a patron of the Grenada Community Library and Expert Commissioner on the ‘Raising the Nation’ Play Commission’s national inquiry into play. She was awarded her MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list in 2021 for services to education.

Her website
https://www.laurahenryallain.com/

Mary Anderson is the co-founder of My Music Starts Here alongside her husband Mike. My Music Starts Here provides early music education through resources, support for educators, and they even have their own certification. Their mission statement is: "We strive to ensure that all young children, regardless of their race, gender, abilities, location, school, childcare, or socioeconomic status, have the very best music learning experiences that we can provide." Mary was a preschool and elementary school teacher for over 12 years. She's also a musician and a singer in her own right, with a bachelor's degree in trumpet performance and a Master's degree in music education.

Her website and Youtube channel:
mymusicstartshere.com youtube.com/@mymusicwithmary

Sarah Scotland is a nutritionist with over 20 years of experience, and is the founder of Wise About Food, a community interest company, focused on food and nutrition. Sarah has previously supported us here at Famly with some of our Early Years nutrition content. She's also worked with Transport for London, the YMCA, housing associations, charities, and a local authority. Sarah provides workshops on cooking and nutrition for neurodivergent and disabled adults, as well as elderly people and dementia sufferers. She even hosts Meet and Eat workshops where people can come together with their community to fight loneliness and learn a bit more about food.

Sarah's website
wiseaboutfood.co.uk