This week, Paolo and Paul sit down with Mark Riddell MBE, the government’s National Adviser for Care Leavers, for a deeply personal conversation about how his time in the Scottish care system shapes his work to improve the lives of young people transitioning out of care.

From his childhood with an alcoholic father and the painful loss of his mother, Mark shares the emotional story that led him into the care system. A love for music and Mod culture provided some escape, but he ultimately succumbed to peer pressure and became involved in glue-sniffing.

He pushed his care staff to their breaking point, and after a chaotic weekend that nearly landed him in jail, he was ready to be moved to yet another home. But when the care manager arrived, instead of sending him away, he told Mark, “This is your home, and you’re staying. We’ll just replace the windows and doors.”

That moment became a turning point for Mark.

As Mark says: "Even for a normal 16-year-old, to face the world on their own at such an age is hard and terrifying and it is much worse for care leaver children. The feeling of abandonment, low self-esteem and trust issues make them more likely to take the wrong path leading to self-destruction." Out of eight kids in one of the care homes Mark stayed at only four are still alive. This is why he felt the system had to change.

What follows is a remarkable journey of self-discovery, via Sylvester Stallone – and now meeting the original Cappuccino Kid – and how this led him to become a passionate advocate for change, and why he’s determined to prevent the same struggles from impacting future generations of care leavers.

So, order a cappuccino, sit back and enjoy our latest episode. It is a classic reminder that we all shine on.

For more information:

• Follow the links to buy Mark’s books The Cornflake Kid and The Cappuccino Kid.
• Follow Mark on X

Produced by Simon Wady.
Recorded at the Tileyard Studios, with thanks to Andres Albert.
Theme music by Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band.

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May we all shine on.