Send us a textIn this in-depth conversation with John Turberville, CEO of The Mulberry Bush, we explore how therapeutic residential care transforms the lives of children who have experienced trauma, relational ruptures, and multiple placement breakdowns. John reflects on the organisation’s 75-year legacy, the central role of relationships, family work, trust, innovation, and reflective practice, and why high-quality residential care must be seen as a placement of choice—not a last resort—in child protection and out-of-home care.John traces his path from a surveyor in London to therapeutic childcare in The Cotswold, and how mentors and a reflective, psychodynamic culture shaped his leadership. We unpack the Mulberry Bush’s evolution from a renowned residential school into a broader charity that integrates education, therapy, family work, outreach, consulting and accredited training. The through-line is consistent: relationships first. That means working with birth, adoptive and foster families, offering peer groups and residential family weekends, and creating real step-down pathways to stable home life when safe and possible.We dig into why group care matters. When problems surface in groups—families, classrooms, communities—the work belongs in groups too. For some children, especially those overwhelmed by family placements, small therapeutic homes provide the containment and relational density needed to relearn trust. Alumni testimonies cut through policy noise: decades later they credit love, structure and belonging with giving them the “boundaries of life” and the confidence to parent well. John also speaks candidly about staff resilience, supervision and the need to authorise creativity. He argues for regulation that secures safety without smothering innovation, so practitioners can respond flexibly to children who don’t fit a standard mould.If you care about child protection, therapeutic education, residential care, attachment repair and trauma-informed practice, this conversation offers both hope and practical insight. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review telling us: what would you change to set creativity free while keeping children safe?John's Bio:John is the Chief Executive Officer of The Mulberry Bush, a national charity dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by trauma in their childhood. He leads the development & delivery of an integrated range of specialist therapeutic and educational services, with a focus on expanding the charity’s range and reach and ensuring the highest standards across all services — guided by its three core values: Collaborative Working, a Psychodynamic Approach, and a Reflective Culture.Formerly the School Director and Chief Operating Officer, John became CEO to further develop the charity’s ability to link teaching, research, and practice, aiming to deliver the highest quality services and excellent outcomes.John is Chair of the Community of Communities Advisory Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, supporting quality assurance and accreditation for Therapeutic Communities & Therapeutic Child Care settings in the UK and internationally, and is a Therapeutic Communities (TC) specialist, auditing TC prisons.Instagram: @mulberrybushcharity Facebook: The Mulberry Bush Charity LinkedIn: The Mulberry Bush YouTube: @mulberrybushschool Disclaimer:Information reported by guests of this podcast is assumed to be accurate as stated. Podcast owner Colby Pearce is not responsible for any error of facts presented by podcast guests. In addition, unless otherwise specified, opinions expressed by guests of this podcast may not reflect those of the podcaSupport the show

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