Dr Jon Needham PhD

National Director of Safeguarding and Wellbeing, Oasis Community Learning

Jon originally trained as a nurse specializing in adolescents with life limiting illness before moving to become an advisor to a large strategic health authority and a commissioner in a primary care trust. He worked briefly as a specialist advisor on two World Health Organization projects before becoming the lead for early help and multi-agency working in a large local authority. He became an education safeguarding advisor 16 years ago managing the support offer to 530 schools and for the past six years has worked as the National Director of Safeguarding & Mental Health for the Oasis Trust. He qualified as a PhD in Education Safeguarding at Liverpool Hope University and has recently published a book on managing sexting in education. He acts as a mentor to five young men starting out in industry ensuring that they develop to their full potential. In his spare time, he is a voluntary youth worker. When (if) he ever relaxes he is a keen fan of Korean dramas (though must use subtitles).