SIOBHAN'S LATEST POLICY VIDEO FOR PROFESSIONALS
There is currently no legal duty to report known or suspected child abuse in England. This video outlines the ongoing debate, using excerpts from the recent IICSA seminars.
It is the secrecy surrounding child sexual abuse which makes a legal reporting duty particularly relevant. This video looks at what the research says from other countries which have implemented mandatory reporting for child abuse.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to support my small channel, where I talk about my direct experience of child sexual abuse and life afterwards, as well as some policy and research issues around safeguarding.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
We focus on the reasons why children find it so hard to tell someone if they’re being sexually abused, using our direct experience as a reference point. Our flagship training, ‘Dare To Ask’, also covers how frontline practitioners can help children to disclose, and how disclosures of sexual abuse should be responded to. The one-day training is suitable for around 60 participants and includes lots of interactive exercises and group discussion. It is an opportunity for professionals to air all their questions and safeguarding challenges in a safe environment. To book a training day or for more information, including feedback, previous training summaries and a draft agenda, please contact [email protected]
WRITING
Siobhan has written several impactful articles and reports for publications such as Professional Social Work (PSW) and CareKnowledge. Her writing has also appeared in journals such as the British Journal of School Nursing. Although mostly writing for a professional readership, Siobhan has also been interviewed on her experience of child sexual abuse for a more general audience, including Cosmopolitan magazine and her local press. To see some of her work, take a look at the Publications and Conferences section.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Siobhan has presented at many safeguarding conferences, police training events and the annual BASPCAN Congress (now the Association of Child Protection Professionals). Mostly focusing on her own personal experience of child sexual abuse and how services and people might have helped, she also speaks on current issues within the existing child protection framework and missed opportunities for detection. For a list of previous presentations, please see the Publications and Conferences section.
GUEST LECTURES
Having presented at campuses including Goldsmiths University London and Manchester Metropolitan University, Siobhan is always looking to deliver safeguarding messages from a ‘lived experience’ perspective to social work and healthcare students. She is also available to present on matters relating to her postgraduate studies in safeguarding, including topics such as human trafficking in the UK and abroad, physical punishment of children and mandatory reporting systems around the world.
PRESENTATIONS FOR STUDENTS
Beam Project is currently trialing a one-hour session for students (aged 14+) in schools, colleges or youth clubs on the topic of child sexual abuse. The content of the session has been developed in line with ‘best practice elements’ from research on in-schools prevention programs. As far as we know, it is the only session for students which is informed by both lived experience and research into what makes a really effective programme. An additional training presentation is delivered to school staff to help them to respond to any new disclosures resulting from the session in a supportive manner. A video has been created, outlining the session and all materials used. To access it, please contact [email protected]
SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Siobhan is available to review and edit organisational safeguarding policies, drawing on her direct experience and understanding of what keeps children from disclosing sexual abuse. She can also assist in writing practice documents for staff, as well as information for students and parents within the wider school community.
