Speakers

Dai is an expert education lawyer at Browne Jacobson LLP and heads up the north west team based in their Manchester office.  Dai advises schools, academies and MATs on frontline education matters, including school admissions and exclusions, parental complaints, GDPR and all safeguarding issues. As well as supporting schools with everyday safeguarding issues – positive DBS disclosures, overseas checks, parental consent, school-wide compliance and safeguarding culture – Dai also manages complex safeguarding issues for schools, such as serious allegations against staff and pupil fatalities, and also supports schools with the press interest that flows from those issues and implementing post incident action plans to learn from those experiences. Dai also carries out MAT safeguarding audits to support Trusts with improving safeguarding practices at each academy and developing consistent approaches and structures that support best practice trust-wide safeguarding.

Ella is an NSPCC accredited safeguarding and child protection trainer, providing training and consultancy for over 15 years to schools and organisations. As the former Director of Safeguarding for the Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, Ella has managed safeguarding cases and teams, in one of the most deprived areas in the UK. Ella’s specialist safeguarding subjects include: being a Home Office approved anti-radicalisation and extremism trainer, forced marriage, child sexual exploitation, designated safeguarding lead trainer and emotional health and wellbeing.

Simon works across Northamptonshire and different parts of the country with children, young people, NHS, social workers, schools and Police around healthy relationships, online safety, mental health, exploitation and consent. He also does consultancy work. Previously, he has worked in schools and colleges as a lead DSL and managed safeguarding teams and youth workers. He is passionate about helping children and young people manage risk offline and online, as well as critical thinking, empathy, resilience and capturing the voice of the child. He talks openly about his struggles with mental health, body image and anxiety.

Jane has worked in safeguarding for 20 years and is experienced in delivering training on all kinds of safeguarding subjects, working with schools, charities, religious groups, local authorities and health trusts. Jane worked as a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for 12 years and elected National LADO Network Chair for the network's first year in 2016. She now carries out investigations into allegations of abuse which do not meet criminal thresholds. Jane is an accredited Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) lead reviewer for safeguarding practice reviews, leading reviews across the country. She is also Head of Investigations for Globis Mediation Group.

Ann Marie Christian worked in child protection for 30 years, including as a qualified social worker for 25 years. She was a school based social worker in 1999 and managed social workers in schools for a local authority afterwards.  Ann Marie delivered multi agency training for the LSCB. She has worked as a LADO, safeguarding advisor and social work manager, along with leading school improvement work. An independent safeguarding consultant since 2010, Ann Marie does associate work with the NSPCC, Premier League, Local Authorities, International & Boarding Schools, Education, Faith, Arts, Early Years and Charity settings.

A former parachute regiment soldier, Dean joined Greater Manchester Police in 1990 and served 25 years front-line. Prior to his retirement in 2014 he was one of the highest decorated detectives in the UK. He is a member of the Home Office Ending Gang Youth Violence and Exploitation focus group. As managing director at Urban Pure Solutions, Dean specialises in engaging with least-heard communities, those affected or at risk from street-based threats and criminal influences, as well as those vulnerable to radicalisation and other forms of exploitation. He has shared his knowledge of gangs, county lines and child criminal exploitation across the UK – assisting over 80 thousand safeguarders, young adults, and children to increase personal resilience to child criminal exploitation and county lines.

James previously worked as an Assistant Principal and Designated Safeguarding Lead within a large, Secondary Academy. During his career, James has worked across the safeguarding partnership, including policing, probation and within the Strategic Safeguarding Partnership (former Safeguarding Children Board). James has previously worked as an independent trainer and safeguarding consultant and a research associate at the University of Chester, publishing research relating to childhood bullying and online safety.

Katie is a partner in the safeguarding unit at London law firm Farrer and Co. Her expertise spans safeguarding, education and employment law. She draws upon a decade of litigation experience in private practice as a barrister and advises schools, education business, sports organisations, and charities on all issues involving children, parents and staff. Through the Farrer & Co Safeguarding Unit she leads on safeguarding crisis management, organisation culture change and thought leadership. She is a co-author of the Farrer and Co Department for Education endorsed guidance on low-level concerns and is recognised by Legal 500 as a ‘next generation partner’ who is quick and responsive with excellent judgment.

David is a JNC qualified youth worker with over 20 years of experience working face-to-face with young people and their families in numerous settings including health, community, educational, faith based and secure. He is a qualified CYP IAPT evidence-based practice practitioner, and is passionate about equipping young people to better deal with their mental health issues. He delivers training sessions on mental health, with anxiety being a subject he’s particularly enthusiastic about. As an experienced safeguarding lead and supervisor, he’s passionate about linking safeguarding theory to real young people and their families, and believes that ongoing reflective practice is key in this area.

Delyth has over 22 years' experience of teaching and senior leadership in independent schools. Her work has been cited by IICSA and she speaks regularly around the issue of culture within schools and the work that she has pioneered at Wellington around values, behaviours and attitudes interviewing and low-level concerns. This work was recently recognised on the national stage by being awarded the Safeguarding and Child Protection Association’s ‘Outstanding initiative award.’ A co-author of the Farrer & Co guides, Developing and implementing a low-level concerns policy: A guide for organisations which work with children and Addressing child-on-child abuse: a resource for schools and colleges, Delyth is also active member of SACPA and the NADSL.

Laura is an Education Consultant for SEND and Safeguarding. Working in education for over 15 years as a teacher, SENCO, DSL senior leader and Trust lead in a range of settings, she has a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing schools in effectively supporting children and families. As well as supporting schools on improvement journeys to create inclusive organisational cultures, Laura delivers talks, training and facilitation using powerful stories of failure and success to inspire those working with our most vulnerable communities.  A passionate advocate for children, young people and the staff who serve them, Laura connects with educators at all levels.

Philip works across Leicester and Leicestershire for the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Multi-Academy Trust (STACMAT). As an experienced teacher and leader, Philip works strategically across the STACMAT offering coaching, mentoring, advice, training and conducting SEND and inclusion reviews. Philip has led on the National Professional Qualification of Leading Behaviour and Culture and is a part of a small group of key “influencers” from across the education system to help transform SEND and inclusion services in Leicestershire. At the core of his ambition lies a passion to facilitate holistic support for all learners and ensure all feel safe and are safeguarded, especially those with vulnerabilities.