The tenth episode of Talking Dyslexia, released on 28 January 2026, is told from a parent’s point of view. Journalist Leah Boleto talks to my co-host Ellen Broomé, CEO of the British Dyslexia Association, and me about her family’s experience: suspecting she is dyslexic herself, and working to get the right support for her son.

Who is Leah Boleto?

Leah is a reporter and presenter for Sky News, including Sky Early Rundown and Sky Breakfast Weekend. Before that, she spent more than ten years presenting CBBC’s Newsround, travelling the world to cover US elections and natural disasters, and presenting a BAFTA-nominated special on the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima.

Leah Boleto recording episode ten of Talking Dyslexia.

What the episode covers

• suspecting that she is dyslexic herself

• navigating diagnosis and support for her son

• why dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence

• children being labelled “naughty” at school

• phonics and letter reversals

• why the system makes help so hard to access

• what has worked for her family: a strong relationship with the school’s SENCo, short bursts of work, movement breaks and protecting confidence early

What has helped Leah’s family

Leah’s experience will sound familiar to many families. A child is struggling, behaviour gets noticed before the reason behind it, and getting help feels like a fight. A child who is labelled “naughty” may be working much harder than anyone realises.

Her list of what has worked is practical: a strong relationship with the school’s SENCo, short bursts of work, movement breaks, and protecting her son’s confidence early. None of it needs to wait for a diagnosis, and all of it is easy to try.

Early screening, which Leah talks about too, can help move things on. It shows where a child’s difficulties are concentrated and where their strengths lie, although it isn’t a diagnosis. If you’re wondering about your own child, see how screening at home works →

Listen and watch

• Listen on Spotify, where you can also watch the video version

• Watch a clip on YouTube (British Dyslexia Association channel)

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

Related reading: Why early screening matters: what the evidence says in 2026