Southport inquiry, Young-onset dementia, Actor Tessa Peake-Jones

This episode of Woman's Hour explores three powerful themes: the aftermath of the Southport murders, the challenges of young-onset dementia, and the transformative experience of turning 60. The programme opens with a harrowing analysis of the public inquiry into the 2024 knife attack that killed three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop. The inquiry found catastrophic failures by both the killer’s parents and multiple agencies, with 67 recommendations to prevent future tragedies, including calls for legal reform to hold parents criminally accountable for failing to report their child’s violent intentions. Legal expert Keelan Gallagher emphasizes the systemic breakdown in information sharing and the absence of risk ownership across agencies, calling for urgent changes to the multi-agency model. The conversation then shifts to young-onset dementia, with Amelia sharing her emotional journey of caring for her mother from age 14, highlighting the long diagnostic delay, the erosion of her mother’s independence, and the profound impact on her own identity and mental health. Support charity Younger People With Dementia underscores the critical need for early diagnosis and respite services. Finally, actor Tessa Peake-Jones joins to discuss her role in the play *Invisible Me*, which portrays the emotional and social realities of aging, loneliness, and reinvention at 60. Her reflections, alongside listener messages, celebrate the potential for joy, growth, and self-discovery in later life, challenging societal invisibility of older women. The episode closes with a hopeful tone, emphasizing resilience, connection, and the power of community.