School Improvement Liverpool welcomed over 100 delegates to their North West Safeguarding Conference, bringing together national and local experts as well as leaders in safeguarding and child protection.
The regional conference has brought together many highly regarded keynote speakers, exhibitors and a range of workshops, to consider modern day safeguarding issues and ways to approach keeping all children safe.
Online safety and awareness of grooming behaviours and techniques were a particular focus. Alongside this delegates also took an in-depth look at child criminal exploitation and how rural areas are becoming targets for inner city gangs and how they’re using children to traffic and sell drugs.
Recognising the signs of a child who may be being groomed or exploited are essential skills for safeguarding leads, and knowing how to support a child through these issues is crucial.
School Improvement officer for inclusive learning, Yvonne Sutton said;
‘The Annual North West Safeguarding Conference has proven to be another successful event, allowing delegates and exhibitors to explore the challenges of effectively safeguarding children in modern Britain.
By covering a wide range of issues including grooming and the sexual and criminal exploitation of children and young people we can continue conversations of how we not only stay safer online but use all technology safely. Technology is part of everyday life and so must empower children and young people to make good decisions by stressing, for example, that friends online are a different type of friend and we should treat them a little differently.’
Liverpool City Council’s Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Steve Reddy said;
‘Thanks to SIL for putting on another high quality conference. It was good to see the level of attendance and engagement on such a critical area of children’s services – child protection has to be everyone’s business.’
A delegate attending the conference said;
‘After today’s conference I now feel empowered, by having a deeper understanding of grooming online, increased awareness of gang culture, and how to keep our children safe. I feel more confident to be able to share these messages with children and staff’
