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Now an award-winning lecturer, Dr Katriona O’Sullivan grew up as one of five, in dire poverty, surrounded by addiction. Her new memoir, Poor, charts the story of her childhood.

Katriona O'Sullivan told Nuala McGovern on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4's Woman's Hour about the impact one teacher’s kindness had on her life, after she noticed she wasn’t being cared for, and taught her how to wash in the school bathrooms.

Katriona now works to improve opportunities for disadvantaged children, and told Nuala how she thinks we limit poorer people in society through our low expectations.

She wants people to stop thinking of helping those in poverty as a ‘charity gig’ and recognise the different skills and life experience they can bring.

Listen to the entire interview on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds – it's the Woman’s Hour episode from 24 May.