
Woman's Hour Jacinda Ardern, Women leaving teaching, Abuse in sport
Dec 4, 2025
Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, discusses her journey of empathetic leadership and the challenges of leading while pregnant. She reflects on her tenure, including the Christchurch tragedy and the impact of online abuse on political figures. Emma Shepherd reveals alarming statistics about teachers leaving the profession after becoming parents, emphasizing the need for better parental policies and support. The conversation touches on mental health services, AI tools for athletes facing online abuse, and the importance of nurturing empathy in leadership.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Triage Long Waitlists For Faster Care
- Triage waiting lists so people with high impairment access care faster and reduce harmful delays.
- Use interim peer-led resources to help coping while formal assessment waits persist.
Women Face Late Diagnosis Due To Bias
- Late diagnoses for women with ADHD/autism reflect historical biases and masking of symptoms in girls.
- Streamlining assessments could reduce long waits and improve outcomes by getting care to those most impaired sooner.
Big Drop In Teachers After First Year Back
- Thousands of teachers leave within four years of returning from maternity, with the biggest exodus in the first 12 months.
- Retaining teachers past year one sharply improves long-term workforce stability.

