Programme

Browse the main conference and workshop programme for our CST Safeguarding Conference 2024. Fur
Programme details are subject to change.

08:30

Registration, refreshments, networking and exhibition

09:20

Welcome remarks

Leora Cruddas

Leora Cruddas CBE

Jon Needham

9:40

The safeguarding hub – part one

In this first session of a two-part exercise, delegates will be invited to work together to consider how to respond to a safeguarding scenario.

Dai Durbridge

10:00

Keynote: Strengthening the role of education in safeguarding

Jon Le Fevre will join us for a keynote session on the role of education in safeguarding.

Jon Le Fevre

10:30

Keynote: Do managed moves really work?

In this session, we will hear a (former) pupil perspective, as Elliot McKenzie shares his experience of a managed move in conversation with Jon Needham.

Elliot McKenzie

Jon Needham

10:50

Refreshments, networking and exhibition

11:20

Workshops: series one

Choose from a selection of impactful workshops delivered by trust leaders and sector experts, focusing on critical safeguarding issues. Topics include supporting the well-being of safeguarding staff, addressing extremism and being aware of potential bias in the application of Prevent policies, and exploring what education settings can learn from global strategies to combat child criminal exploitation.

12:20

Lunch, networking and exhibition

13:20

Workshops: series two

Explore our second series of workshops which delve into innovative safeguarding practices led by experienced trust leaders and sector experts. Topics include strengthening safeguarding through the power of multi-disciplinary teams, addressing emotionally based school avoidance to foster belonging, and building robust safeguarding capacity in small trusts.

14:25

The safeguarding hub – part two

In part two of this interactive exercise, delegates will work together to consider new developments.

Dai Durbridge

14:45

Refreshments, exhibition and networking

15:05

Principles of an effective safeguarding audit: A trust-led approach

CST's Samira Sadeghi will introduce a project to develop practical new support for trust-led safeguarding audits in partnership with our Safeguarding professional community. She'll set out the vision for a framework and principles that can be used in trusts of all sizes to underpin developmental and supportive audits, and how community members can share ideas and experience to help shape them.

Samira Sadeghi

Samira Sadeghi

15:30

Keynote: Building a better Ofsted: Inspecting safeguarding

Helen will talk through some of the implemented changes to inspection following the Big Listen consultation. She will also outline the emerging thinking around inspecting safeguarding post September 2025

Helen Matthews

16:10

Final reflections and close

Jon Needham

Protecting your safeguarding staff: A trust-led approach to maintaining health, safety and well-being

Safeguarding can be a hugely rewarding area of practice. Protecting children and young people in risky and complex situations can also be tough, especially when things go wrong. This workshop will explore the trust's duty of care to protect its safeguarding workforce physically, emotionally, mentally and professionally. Raminder and Erin will share their extensive experience of creating protective structures for the safeguarding professionals in their trusts, and strategies to identify and respond to staff in crisis.

Raminder Aujla

Erin Docherty

Understanding and addressing extremism: Exploring bias and applying 'Prevent' effectively in your trust

Last summer's civil unrest and its impact on children and families highlights the importance of addressing extremist ideology and online disinformation in education. This interactive workshop session aims to foster an open dialogue about personal values and attitudes towards extremism and consider ways in which trust safeguarding leaders can improve the applications of safeguarding policies, including Prevent, without potential bias. Ineke will explore case studies, invite delegates to share experiences of addressing false narratives and disinformation in their safeguarding practice, and discuss examples of how to recognise and address biases in policy application.

Ineke Houtenbos

Child criminal exploitation (CCE): A global perspective

Safeguarding professionals are keenly aware that children vulnerable to CCE can fall through the systemic gaps. Ruth Dearnley from Stop the Traffik, a charity that works to prevent the global trade in people, and Sarah Bloomer, discuss some of the global strategies that are being deployed to disrupt trafficking and CCE, and what safeguarding teams in education can learn from them.

Sarah Bloomer

Ruth Dearnley OBE

Strengthening trust safeguarding through diversity: The power of multi-disciplinary teams

Safeguarding in education has traditionally been undertaken by teachers specialising in child protection. As trusts grow, and safeguarding practice becomes more complex, trust safeguarding leaders have been thinking differently about the skills and background that a safeguarding team needs to enable it to do more and be more effective. In this workshop, Louis will share his team-building strategy at Creative Education Trust, taking us through the thinking and practice of building a multidisciplinary team from pastoral, clinical and other services and the impact this has had on safeguarding capacity and outcomes in the trust.

Louis Donald

Botheredness and belonging: A strategic approach to emotionally based school avoidance

Too many children and young people are not accessing the education they deserve, or the experience of belonging to a community, because of emotional barriers to school. There is no simple answer to this complex challenge, but trusts like The Howard Partnership Trust, are developing new strategies to address this over time through their culture and systems. In this workshop, Jonathan and Viv will draw upon their deep experience of working with children who avoid school for emotional reasons. They will consider how organisations can communicate that the adults are 'bothered', and how they can support children's ability to connect and feel a sense of belonging. They will also invite participants to share their experiences and insights into what's happening in this arena in their own trusts.

Jonathan Roddick

Viv Trask-Hall

Skill or will? Building strong safeguarding in small trusts

This discussion-led workshop explores the importance of building of strong relationships within schools, with governors and trustees, and wider networks to develop safeguarding capacity in small trusts. Our panellists will consider the challenges and opportunities of leading safeguarding in their growing trusts of six schools, including how to work smarter not harder to reduce risk and create a single shared safeguarding culture that holds space for the things that matter most.

Sarah Milne

Paula Smith

Adam Walthaus