Oxford Brookes Senior Lecturer in Child Development and Special Educational Needs/ Inclusion, Dr Jon Reid explores the critical issues affecting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, focusing on vulnerability, marginalisation, and the alarming rise in school exclusions. We also discuss the often overlooked emotional labor of teachers, their wellbeing, and the support they receive. Jon helps us to appreciate the significant emotional demands on teachers, the varying levels of support across schools, and the powerful role of compassion in education. You can find out more about Jon’s wider work on his staff page: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/profiles/staff/jonathan-reid Correction: Associate Professor James Kirby is actually from Australia, rather than America.