Annual Safeguarding Conference
No filter: young people's relationships in the digital age
BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9LP Wednesday 11 October 2023 9.00am – 5.00pm
9.00am
Registration and coffee
9.25am
Introduction
David Smellie, Head of the Safeguarding Unit, Farrer & Co
9.30am
Keynote speech
Eleanor Lyons, the Deputy Children’s Commissioner for England, reflects on recent research conducted by the Office of the Children's Commissioner which explores young people’s experience of the online world and its impact
9.50am
Young people's panel: concerning attitudes, behaviours and beliefs
Co-facilitated by Natasha Eeles, Bold Voices and Veryan Exelby, Senior Counsel, Farrer & Co
10.30am
Ten minute talk: coercive control in young people's relationships
Jo Silver, Director of Practice, SafeLives
10.40am
The impact of pornography on young people's relationships
Chaired by Maria Strauss, Partner, Farrer & Co: Dr Fiona Vera-Gray, Deputy Director, The Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University; Mary Sharpe, CEO, The Reward Foundation; and Alessia Tranchese, Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth
11.10am
Refreshment break
11.35am
Digital behaviour - living in the real world
Chaired by Adele Eastman, Senior Counsel, Farrer & Co: Professor Andy Phippen, Professor of IT Ethics and Digital Rights, Bournemouth University; Jon Needham, National Director of Safeguarding and Wellbeing, Oasis Community Learning; and Beth Kerr, Educational and Wellbeing Consultant
12.10pm
Breakout session (more info here)
1.05pm
Lunch
2.00pm
Keynote speech
Marienna Pope-Weidemann from Justice For Gaia reflects on safeguarding, the retention of victim agency and the importance of independent advocacy as learned from the death of her cousin Gaia, who is the subject of the BBC documentary Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge
2.20pm
Ten minute talk: consent is cultural - what is shaping our relationships?
Natasha Eeles, Bold Voices
2.35pm
Breakout session (more info here)
3.30pm
Refreshment break
3.55pm
Young people's panel: initiatives and strategies - what works and what doesn't?
Co-facilitated by Kelly Wainhouse, Head of Safeguarding, IntoUniversity and Katie Fudakowski, Partner, Farrer & Co
4.35pm
Mediation and restorative justice in cases of sexual violence and harassment - does it work? Chris Hickin, Assistant Director, Remedi
4.55pm
Closing comments David Smellie, Head of the Safeguarding Unit, Farrer & Co
5.00pm
Conference ends