Orla leads Solas Coaching. After her own single and co-parenting journey, she now works with both single parents, empowering them to navigate their unique challenges as well as with workplaces, to develop tailored policies and training to support single parents.

Orla recently authored a report on how to build workplaces that work for single parents, arguing that this is a way to both unlock potential and retain top talent. She argues that “leading the way for single parents in the future of work”.

Joining me on the Mummafesto this week is Michelle Niziol. Michelle has spent more than two decades building and scaling companies across property, finance, and investment. From being on the brink of homelessness at 17 to running seven successful businesses – and even being fired in week one of The Apprentice. She is also a Mum of two and an advocate for female entrepreneurship. In June this year she launched a campaign that calls on the government to make childcare costs tax-deductible for self-employed parents.

My guest this week is Dr Laura Abbott, whose research career has been dedicated to studying the experiences of pregnant women in the prison system. She co-authored The Birth Charter for pregnant women in England and Wales. She has contributed to Government reviews on how staff can manage and care for pregnant women and mothers in prison. She leads the Lost Mothers project, explores the experiences of incarcerated mothers, separated from their babies, and the professionals who support them.