NSPCC Learning Podcast

This podcast episode is hosted by the NSPCC’s Local Services Director Karen Squillino, who is also chair of the wellbeing and safeguarding committee for Lift Schools.  She spoke to Jill Fuller, Head of Safeguarding for Lift Schools and Habib Hussain, who is Lift Schools’ regional DSL for London and the south. The conversation covered: the safeguarding roles and responsibilities of a multi-academy trust the importance of DSLs sharing their experiences to support each other how to ensure DSLs are continuously learning and adapting to new safeguarding challenges the benefits and challenges of Lift Schools’ regional approach. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Karen Squillino has over 30 years safeguarding and child protection experience. She has been with the NSPCC since 2011 and currently serves as the Director of Local Services. In addition to her role at the NSPCC, Karen is a trustee at Lift Schools, where she chairs the Wellbeing & Safeguarding Committee. Jill Fuller is the Head of Safeguarding for Lift Schools with responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive safeguarding strategy across a network of 57 schools, monitoring and supporting safeguarding practices and contributing to the overall educational vision. Her experience spans education, children's social care and multi-agency partners, leading workforce transformation projects and driving rapid performance improvements in children's services. Habib Hussain has been in education for 21 years and spent 20 years in Lift Aylward. He is currently Deputy Head at Lift New Rickstones and Regional DSL for London and the South, working alongside 11 primary, secondary and special schools. Habib offers support and guidance to all the schools in his region and ensures they are compliant in all aspects of safeguarding and driving rapid performance. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Find out more about Lift Schools > Take our designated safeguarding lead training --   Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Online sexual extortion can be financially motivated sexual extortion and blackmail using both real and AI generated images of boys and young males. Although this is not a new issue the National Crime Agency and the NSPCC has seen an increase in the last two years of boys experiencing online sexual extortion.  In this podcast episode, the NSPCC's Danielle Harris, Childline manager, discusses online sexual extortion with Marie Smith, who oversees the CEOP education programme based within the National Crime Agency. The discussion covered: what online sexual extortion is how to spot the signs how to support boys who are experiencing online sexual extortion how to report real and AI generated images. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Danielle Harris is the NSPCC's Childline Team Manager. Danielle has been part of the Childline family since 2018, starting out on the night service and moving up to Senior Supervisor before taking on their current role as Childline Team Manager. Marie Smith is a Senior Manager who oversees the CEOP education programme that's based within the National Crime Agency. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > View the CEOP alert for education settings on financially motivated sexual extortion > Find out more about the Childline Behind the Screen campaign, raising awareness of the sexual coerced extortion of boys > Read the CEOP financially motivated sexual extortion guidance for parents and carers > Share Childline’s page for young people about trusting others online > Find out more about Report Remove > Read the UK government guidance on responding to incidents of sharing nudes -- Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) is a form of child abuse where a child or young person is forced or coerced to engage in criminal activity or commit any type of crime. In this episode, the NSPCC Helpline’s Service Head, Denise Ellis spoke to Tara Mellowes who is a Detective Constable in the exploitation team with Leicestershire Police.  The discussion covered: what CCE is and the different forms it can take why children can be targets for CCE signs of CCE that professionals working with children should look out for why early intervention is so important and what that may look like how the police can respond to CCE. The episode was recorded in January 2025. Since then, the Crime and Policing Bill has been introduced into Parliament, which would introduce a new specific criminal offence of child criminal exploitation. This would target the adult as the primary offender in causing harm to the child by exploiting them to commit criminal activity. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Denise Ellis is the service head for the NSPCC Helpline and has almost 43 years’ experience of working with children and families. She previously worked for Manchester Safeguarding Unit and currently delivers training to professionals on identifying the signs of child criminal exploitation. DC Tara Mellowes joined Leicestershire Police in 2020 and works in the field of child criminal exploitation helping vulnerable young people caught up in county lines. She is passionate about helping shape how we respond to and tackle child criminal exploitation and is proud to have been part of Leicestershire Police’s first prosecutions against CCE offenders. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Learn more about Childline > Find out more about the NSPCC Helpline > Take our elearning course on county lines > Learn more about county lines > Find out more about child criminal exploitation   Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Research by For Baby's Sake suggests that domestic abuse was a factor in almost 50,000 babies a year being referred to children's social care in England between 2021 and 2023. Our NSPCC Helpline domestic abuse project lead, Paddi Vint, spoke with Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of the For Baby's Sake Trust, about this research and what we can learn from it. They offered insight into the importance of services for pregnant families and babies being able to identify concerns and provide support. The discussion covered the difficulties with working out exactly how many babies are impacted by domestic abuse, blockers to parents seeking support and how important accurate language is to reduce shame and stigma around domestic abuse. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Lauren Seager-Smith is the CEO of The For Baby's Sake Trust, pioneering trauma-informed and therapeutic support to break cycles of domestic abuse and give babies the best start in life. Lauren is an experienced charity leader, with previous roles as CEO of Kidscape and the National Coordinator of the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Lauren is a regular media spokesperson specialising in domestic abuse, online safety, and bullying. Lauren has held numerous board positions and currently serves on the Action for Children England Committee. Lauren is an Associate of the Institute of Responsible Leadership (IRL). Paddi Vint is a Quality and Development Manager overseeing the NSPCC Helpline domestic abuse project. She has been with the NSPCC in Belfast for over five years, joining as a Helpline practitioner and then working as a practice manager. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Read the For Baby’s Sake research revealing almost 50,000 babies are referred to children’s social care in England with domestic abuse as a factor > Watch the Channel 4 report on For Baby’s Sake’s research > Find out more about For Baby’s Sake > Learn more about protecting children from domestic abuse > Find out why domestic abuse is so prevalent during pregnancy with this For Baby’s Sake article --   Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Mental health difficulties can have a big impact on parents’ ability to provide responsive care for their babies, especially if parents aren't getting the support they need. Black mothers are disproportionately affected by mental health difficulties and are less likely to receive adequate perinatal mental health support.  In January 2025, Alexis Golden and Chi Mumbi from the NSPCC’s Pregnancy in Mind service spoke to Sandra Igwe Founder and Chief Executive at The Motherhood Group about the experiences of Black mothers and the importance of providing inclusive support for maternal mental health. If you haven't done so already, listen to the podcast here You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speaker https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/2025/may/supporting-black-mothers-facing-perinatal-mental-health-challenges Alexis Golden has been with the NSPCC since 2022 and is a Project Development Manager. She develops evidence-based services for families within the Prevention of Abuse and Neglect in the Early Years Theme. Recently, she led the redevelopment of the Pregnancy in Mind service. With a background in education and early childhood development, Alexis is passionate about the wellbeing of children and young people and is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Sandra Igwe is a trailblazing thought leader in Black maternal health, TEDx speaker, and founder of The Motherhood Group and Blackmums. She leverages community engagement, technology and advocacy to improve outcomes for Black mothers. Sandra is Co-Chair of the National Inquiry into Racial Injustice in Maternity Care, a Trustee of Birthrights Charity, and author of 'My Black Motherhood: Mental Health, Stigma, Racism and the System'. Her work has been recognized by Vogue UK and Forbes as an 'Influential Woman of the Year', and she has received the National Lottery Game Changer Award and Santander Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Chi Mumbi Chi is a Children’s Services Practitioner and Social Worker at the London and South East Hub and is the Lead Practitioner for Pregnancy in Mind. Chi is passionate about the intersection of perinatal mental health and race. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Learn more about The Motherhood Group > Find out more about Pregnancy in Mind > View the full list of Pregnancy in Mind delivery locations on the NSPCC website  Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

At the end of 2024, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published a national review exploring the challenges in identifying, assessing and responding to child sexual abuse within the family environment. They also published their annual report for 2023-24, which covers the Panel’s work from April 2023 to March 2024. This is the second half of our discussion with Annie Hudson, the Chair of the Panel, and Jenny Coles, a Panel member, about what these reports mean for anyone working with children and young people. In this episode, you’ll hear about how the Panel translates the learning from its reports into improvements to safeguarding practice. If you haven't done so already, listen to part one, covering the findings of the two reports. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Annie Hudson is the Chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. A social worker by profession, Annie has held a range of practice, leadership and academic posts, including Strategic Director of Children’s Services for Lambeth London Borough Council and Director of Children’s Services for Bristol City Council. Jenny Coles has been a member of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel since December 2021. Jenny is a qualified social worker and has been a senior manager in local authority children’s services since 1997. Jenny was the President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services from April 2020 to April 2021. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Read our CASPAR briefing summarising the National review into child sexual abuse within the family environment > Read our CASPAR briefing summarising the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel annual report 2023/24 > View our full collection of CASPAR briefings, including those covering previous Panel annual reports > Read our CASPAR briefing on the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

At the end of 2024, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published a national review exploring the challenges in identifying, assessing and responding to child sexual abuse within the family environment. They also published their annual report for 2023-24, which covers the Panel’s work from April 2023 to March 2024.  In January 2025, we spoke to Annie Hudson, the Chair of the Panel, and Jenny Coles, a Panel member, about what these reports mean for anyone working with children and young people.  In the first half of the discussion, you’ll learn about the findings from the two reports.  Part two covers how the Panel translates the learning from its reports into improvements to safeguarding practice. Listen to part two. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers  Annie Hudson is the Chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. A social worker by profession, Annie has held a range of practice, leadership and academic posts, including Strategic Director of Children’s Services for Lambeth London Borough Council and Director of Children’s Services for Bristol City Council.  Jenny Coles has been a member of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel since December 2021. Jenny is a qualified social worker and has been a senior manager in local authority children’s services since 1997. Jenny was the President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services from April 2020 to April 2021. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Read our CASPAR briefing summarising the National review into child sexual abuse within the family environment  > Read our CASPAR briefing summarising the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel annual report 2023/24  > View our full collection of CASPAR briefings, including those covering previous Panel annual reports  > Read our CASPAR briefing on the national review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

The online world is constantly changing, and young people are often more informed about online trends than adults. Young people are equipped with their own knowledge and understanding of what they need to know and do to stay safe online. It’s important to listen to their thoughts and opinions, and try to incorporate their voice into your online safety work.  In this podcast episode, you’ll hear from Will and Zara, two young people from the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth Group. They provide an insight into what life online is like for them, what makes them feel safe online and what online safety topics they’d like to learn more about. The discussion touches on a wide range of topics, including moderation, privacy settings, algorithms, generative AI and online misinformation. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Will and Zara are members of the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth, a group of young people aged 13-17 who help advise the NSPCC and the wider online safety sector on how to help children have safe and happy experiences online. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Access all of NSPCC Learning’s free online safety resources  > Take our highly-rated online safety elearning course  > Read our new research report on the impact of Generative AI on children’s safety  > Find out more about the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth and read their manifesto for change Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

Mental health is as important to a child’s safety as their physical health; mental health issues can sometimes lead to safeguarding and child protection issues. By recognising when a child is struggling with their mental health, and intervening to provide appropriate support, professionals working with children can help prevent mental health problems from escalating into crisis.  A mental health first aid kit is one tool that can be used to help. The kit contains a selection of resources to help young people manage their mental health if they’re struggling, such as ways to distract oneself, relax or calm down, and pointers to further support.  Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about the mental health first aid kit and how you can use it with the young people you work with. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers  Gawain Griffiths is a Practitioner in the Childline Online Services team. He works to develop resources and content for the Childline website to help and empower young people using the Childline service.  Alice and Douglas are members of the NSPCC’s Young People’s Board for Change. They meet monthly to discuss issues they care about, giving young people the chance to shape and influence the NSPCC’s work and ensure the young people’s voices are heard both inside and outside the organisation. Mental health is one of the priority areas in the board’s 2023-25 manifesto. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Access the Childline mental health first aid kit resource  > Find out more about child mental health  > View Childline’s mental health information page for young people  > Learn more about promoting mental health and wellbeing  > Take our mental health and wellbeing safeguarding course Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

The voices of people with lived experience of child sexual abuse play an important role in understanding how to respond to and prevent this form of abuse. Conducting participatory work with victims and survivors can move the conversation around CSA forward and create positive change.  In this episode, you’ll learn about the benefits of involving victim-survivors including the impact of an IICSA Changemaker event in which victims and survivors shared their testimonies with policy-makers; the importance of creating a comprehensive risk register and safety plans; how to create a safe and inclusive environment for participants; and what to do to support victims and survivors after the participatory work is complete.  The IICSA Changemakers are a group who want to amplify the voices of people with lived experience of child sexual abuse and ensure that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) remains an important moment for child protection. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers  Peter Wanless (he/him) was Chief Executive of the NSPCC from 2013 to 2024, during which time he also chaired the IICSA Changemakers group. Before this, Peter ran the Big Lottery Fund for 5 years and worked as a Director at the Department for Education. In the 2021 New Year’s Honours, Peter was awarded a knighthood for services to Children, to Young People and to the Charitable Sector.  Clare Kelly (she/her) is the Head of Programmes for the IICSA Changemakers and has previously worked for the NSPCC as an Associate Head of Policy and Public Affairs. She has a 15-year background in policing and the criminal justice system, holding the role of Chief Executive Officer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Bedfordshire and running a charity focused on supporting vulnerable victims and witnesses of crime.  Denise Pringle (she/her) is the Adult Survivor Participation Manager for the IICSA Changemakers. She has spent her career advocating and working alongside survivors in the wider abuse & and violence sector. In 2024, she was invited to deliver training at UNWomenUk on best practice. She has also provided expert consultancy to the NHS, UK and international police forces, FTSE 100 organisations, and the UK government. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Find out more about the IICSA Changemakers  > Listen to our podcast series on the IICSA final report  > Learn more about protecting children from sexual abuse  > Read our Why Language Matters blog on the use of the term 'victim' in relation to child protection Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

We speak to Anne Longfield, the Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, about what needs to be done to improve the safeguarding support available to teenagers in the UK, the topic of her new book Young Lives, Big Ambitions. In the interview, Anne explains some of the problems facing vulnerable teenagers, and presents the solutions she would implement to give every young person the best chance to succeed in life. View the podcast transcript on the NSPCC Learning website.  💬 About the speakers  Anne Longfield CBE has spent the last three decades working to improve the life chances of children, particularly the most vulnerable. She has recently founded and become Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives. From March 2015 to February 2021 she was Children’s Commissioner for England.  Wesley Powley-Baker is a Safeguarding Manager within the NSPCC’s Safeguarding Unit. He is responsible for supporting the development of high-quality safeguarding practice and providing professional expertise in matters relating to safeguarding and social work practice. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Find out more about Anne’s book, Young Lives, Big Ambitions > Read our Learning from case reviews briefing on teenagers   > Learn more about keeping 16- to 25-year-olds safe from abuse with our elearning course  Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros 

Being exposed to domestic abuse is a form of child abuse and children don't need to be directly involved for this to be the case. They may have seen or heard or experienced the effects of domestic abuse in the family and this can have a big impact on their behaviour, development, education and wellbeing.  In this podcast episode, experts from the NSPCC Helpline and Childline talk about that potential impact, as well as how you can spot the signs of domestic abuse and support children who are affected. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers  Paddi Vint is a Quality and Development Manager overseeing the NSPCC Helpline domestic abuse project. She has been with the NSPCC in Belfast for over five years, joining as a Helpline practitioner and then working as a practice manager.  Cormac Nolan is a Service Head with Childline. He holds responsibility for certain Childline bases delivering the live service as well as for the Childline website and social media.  Joanne Walsh is a Domestic Abuse Practice Advisor with a background as a senior family support worker and local authority domestic abuse champion. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Learn more about Childline  > Find out more about the NSPCC Helpline  > Get more information about domestic abuse  > Read about healthy and unhealthy relationships on the Childline website  > Learn more about multi-agency working Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Safe and effective sex and relationships education (SRE) plays a vital role in preventing abuse. However, teaching SRE can be challenging. According to a 2022 NASUWT and NSPCC survey, 46% of teachers say they don’t feel confident teaching sex and relationships education. In this podcast episode, actor and Childline ambassador Natalie Dormer is joined by two teachers to talk about what it's like to teach sex and relationships in secondary schools. They discuss the challenges teachers may face when teaching SRE, as well as practical solutions to these problems. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers  Natalie Dormer is a British film, TV and stage actor and producer — her acting credits include Game of Thrones, The Tudors and The Hunger Games. Natalie is a passionate champion and advocate of children's rights.  She is a longstanding supporter of the work of Childline, which is a life-changing service provided by the NSPCC. Natalie's support of the charity over many years culminated with her being appointed as the NSPCC's Ambassador for Childline in 2019 and in 2024 Natalie was made an Honorary Member of the NSPCC's Council. Pete Basham is a science teacher and form tutor in a state-funded secondary school who also delivers the school's RSE programme.  Sarah Oakes is director of performing arts at an independent prep school in Dorset and head of RSE, delivering the curriculum to her form as well as overseeing it for the whole school. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode  > Find out more about our Talk Relationships service > Learn more about our Talk Relationships elearning courses   > Learn more about how to take a whole-school approach to teaching SRE > Read 'We have to educate ourselves', a report on how young people are learning about relationships, sex and sexuality > More information about our Report Remove tool > Advice for parents and carers from nspcc.org.uk on how to talk to children about relationships, sex and consent Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

It is important for social workers to consider the voice of the child — their experiences, their worries and their wants — when undertaking their work, particularly when conducting assessments. This improves professionals’ abilities to act in the child’s best interest.  In this episode, three consultant social workers from the NSPCC’s Quality and Practice team discuss: what we mean by ‘the voice of the child’ and why it is important; how to effectively capture the voice of the child and what barriers might get in the way of this; how to make use of the child’s voice in practical work, including in meetings, assessments, interventions and record keeping. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Julian Fabian has been a qualified Social Worker for more than 26 years. He is currently Consultant Social Worker in the NSPCC’s Quality and Practice Team with a remit of quality assurance and practice improvement.  Emily Waddington is a Supervisor in the Childline Service. Prior to this role, Emily has worked as a Consultant Social Worker at the NSPCC and in the Assessment and MASH teams in the Local Authority. Emily’s main areas of interest include systemic and reflective practice which is underpinned by a desire for continuous practice improvement.  Damien Fitzpatrick is a NSPCC Consultant Social Worker based in the Service Quality and Practice Team. His role involves quality assurance of direct practice through a safeguarding lens, pre-post inspection support, supporting the development and implementation of practice standards and guidance. Prior to joining the NSPCC, Damien practiced in the local authority for 12 years in a number of different roles. 📚 Related resources > Find out what case reviews highlight about the voice of the child  > Listen to our podcast episode on pre-birth assessments  > Learn more about what makes a good assessment with our ten practice points > Discover other NSPCC Learning resources for social workers Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Language and communication barriers faced by d/Deaf children and young people can manifest in a way that increases safeguarding risk. It's important that there are professionals who can understand and communicate with a child or young person if they need to report or disclose any issues they are experiencing. In this podcast episode, a panel of experts from the Social Workers with Deaf Children and Professionals Working Group explore how the differing language and communication needs of d/Deaf children can affect their safety and the child protection support they receive. 📺 A fully accessible video version of this podcast is available on the NSPCC Learning YouTube channel. 📺 You can also read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website.  💬 About the speakers  Shirley Wilson MBE is the NSPCC's Senior Consultant on Deaf & Disabled Children and Young People and Professional Service Delivery Chair of the Social Workers with Deaf children and professionals group. Jo Hornsby is a Social Worker in the Disabled Children and Young People’s Team in Suffolk and a member of the Social Workers with Deaf Children group. Professor Alys Young is Head of Social Work at the University of Manchester and a member of the Social Workers with Deaf Children group.  Tim Richardson is the Provider Collaborative Lead on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategic Plan and a member of the Social Workers with Deaf Children group. 📚 Resources mentioned in this episode > Read the full Guidance for Safeguarding Partners in England - Deaf Children, Young People and their Families document (PDF) > Learn more about safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children and young people > Read our learning from case reviews briefing on d/Deaf children and children who have disabilities > Take our training course on safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children and young people in England Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Education is a vital part of ensuring children get the best possible start in life, and there can be safeguarding implications for children who are absent from school. If children miss school, the ability that schools have to offer them the support they need is compromised. And missing school may be an indicator of broader child protection concerns. In this podcast episode, experts from the NSPCC and Childline discuss the potential causes for this, and what schools can do to address the problem. You’ll also hear two secondary school students share their thoughts on how the stresses and strains of school life can affect attendance. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Janet Hinton is the NSPCC's Strategic Service Manager for Schools, working on the delivery of a range of NSPCC programmes for schools, including Speak out, Stay safe.  Kelly Burnett joined the NSPCC in May 2021, as a Supervisor as the Childline Liverpool Base. Kelly is responsible for the management of staff and volunteers, training staff, and making safeguarding decisions on shifts.  John Anderton joined the NSPCC in 2008 as a Childline Supervisor, after serving two years as a volunteer. John is currently practice champion at Childline's Birmingham base, supporting and guiding Childline counsellors on shifts.  The NSPCC Young People's Board for Change is a cohort of young people who steer, advice and influence the NSPCC on issues that affect children and young people in the UK, ensuring that children and young people’s opinions and ideas are considered within the strategic direction of the organisation. 📚 Related resources > Learn more about Childline  > Find out more about our Building Connections service  > Take our Safeguarding training for schools, academies and colleges course  > View our other safeguarding resources for schools > Learn more about protecting children from county lines Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

Pre-birth assessments help social work professionals to identify strengths, needs, risks and protective factors in the lives of expectant families. They play an important role in safeguarding babies; effective pre-birth assessments can ensure that families get the support they need before issues escalate. In this podcast episode, In this podcast episode, Sophie Bell, Associate Head of Development at the NSPCC, talks to Anna Squirrell and Nina Bell, social work practitioners working in children’s social care in Blackburn with Darwen. The two experts discuss the practicalities of conducting effective pre-birth assessments, including what good practice looks like, what challenges might arise, and how tools such as Graded Care Profile 2 Antenatal can help with assessments. You can read this episode’s transcript on the NSPCC Learning website. 💬 About the speakers Sophie Bell joined the NSPCC in 2010, moving into the role of Associate Head of Development in 2022. Sophie heads up the portfolio of projects and services in the Prevention of Abuse & Neglect in the Early Years Theme, managing the development and implementation of evidence-based support for families.  Anna Squirrell has worked in children’s social care in Blackburn with Darwen for over 25 years. Anna has spent time working in different departments including the fostering team and residential homes with young people team. Passionate about early intervention and getting the right help to the families at the right time, Anna joined the Pre-Birth Team seven years ago as a family support worker, and now manages a team of seven practitioners. Nina Bell is a children’s social care practitioner working in the Pre-Birth Team in Blackburn with Darwen. 📚 Related resources > Find out more about the Graded Care Profile 2 Antenatal (GCP2A) assessment tool > Read our Learning from case reviews briefing on assessments > Learn more about attachment and child development > Read our Learning from case reviews briefing on the early years sector Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros

The criminal and civil justice systems play an important role in the way the State responds to child sexual abuse. However, many of IICSA’s investigations featured details of inadequate responses from the police, Crown Prosecution Service and courts. The final episode of the series looks at how the IICSA recommendations might improve victims and survivors’ experiences of the criminal justice system. Areas covered include policing, the courtroom experience and access to advocacy, and reforms to the Victims’ Code. You’ll also hear about the proposed changes to the available schemes of compensation and redress. > Read the podcast transcript About the speakers Ian Critchley is the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Child Protection, Abuse and Investigation, a role he has held for three years. Ian’s role is to enhance and develop the police service in its prevention and response to child abuse working with Chief Constables, the College of Policing and statutory and charitable partners across the country. Ian was also formerly the Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police. Simon Bailey is a member of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Simon was a police officer for 35 years, the last 8 as the Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary. Simon was also the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection. Tomi Ogundele is a Child Protection Lawyer at the NSPCC. Further resources > Learn more about children and the law > Read the UK Government's press release on establishing a redress scheme for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse > Read the Victims' Code and supporting public information materials About the series The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its final report in October 2022. The report was a comprehensive examination of institutional failings to protect children from sexual abuse, demonstrating the need for a wholesale change in how child sexual abuse (CSA) is tackled. The report highlighted 20 key recommendations that would contribute towards this change. This five-part podcast series explores these recommendations in more detail. A range of experts from both inside and outside of the NSPCC will break down why the recommendations are needed, how they’ll work if implemented, and what impact they might have on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The series is a useful introduction to the Inquiry for anyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people. Intro/outro music is This Too Shall Pass by Scott Buckley

Being online is an integral part of children’s lives, but it can expose them to risks, including sexual abuse. The past five years has seen a proliferation in child sexual abuse material online, and IICSA’s investigations into the problem found that law enforcement is struggling to keep pace. In this episode of Recommendations for Change, we explore the scale of the online abuse problem and how the IICSA recommendations and the new Online Safety Act seek to tackle the issue. The episode covers the importance of implementing online protections for children and what professionals can do to keep children safe online. You’ll also learn how law enforcement responds to online-facilitated CSA. > Read the podcast transcript About the speakers Susie Hargreaves is the Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation. She is a member of the National Crime Agency (NCA) Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command Strategic Governance Group and an Executive Board member of the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS). Ian Critchley is the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Child Protection, Abuse and Investigation, a role he has held for three years. Ian’s role is to enhance and develop the police service in its prevention and response to child abuse working with Chief Constables, the College of Policing and statutory and charitable partners across the country. Ian was also formerly the Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police. Further resources > Read the IICSA investigation into child sexual abuse and exploitation facilitated by the internet > Read the latest Internet Watch Foundation annual report > Learn more about online safety with our introductory elearning course > Read our article about what the Online Safety Act means for professionals > Find out more about how young people can use the Report Remove tool to take down nudes shared online About the series The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its final report in October 2022. The report was a comprehensive examination of institutional failings to protect children from sexual abuse, demonstrating the need for a wholesale change in how child sexual abuse (CSA) is tackled. The report highlighted 20 key recommendations that would contribute towards this change. This five-part podcast series explores these recommendations in more detail. A range of experts from both inside and outside of the NSPCC will break down why the recommendations are needed, how they’ll work if implemented, and what impact they might have on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The series is a useful introduction to the Inquiry for anyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people. Intro/outro music is This Too Shall Pass by Scott Buckley

Many children enter care because they have been abused or neglected. IICSA found that, rather than being protected, many vulnerable children who entered care were subject to further abuse. This episode of Recommendations for Change looks at the IICSA findings relating to children in care. How did institutions fail to protect looked after children, and what changes – through IICSA or other reform – need to be made to improve the care system for young people and keep them safer in future? This episode also covers the mandatory reporting recommendation made in the final IICSA report. > Read the podcast transcript About the speakers Claire Sands is an Associate Head in the NSPCC’s Research and Evidence team. She manages research projects across all areas of NSPCC work and runs the NSPCC Research and Ethics Committee. Matt Forde is Partnerships and Development Director at the NSPCC. He leads services for children that the NSPCC delivers in partnership with other organisations and communities across the UK and Channel Islands. Chloe Meaney is an HR Safeguarding Consultant with the NSPCC, she works nationally across a diverse range of sectors as well as providing internal advice and support, looking at HR policy, procedure and practice through a safeguarding lens. Patricia Cannon is a Children’s Solicitor and Partner at national firm Simpson Millar Solicitors. She specialises in the representation of children and young people in care proceedings before the Family Court. David Pritchard is the Registrar and Director of Regulation at Social Care Wales, which is responsible for regulation of the social care workforce in Wales.  Over 60,000 social care professionals are registered with Social Care Wales, including domiciliary and care home workers, social workers and managers. Before joining Social Care Wales, David was a senior official at the Welsh Government where he led the development of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act. Further resources > Read IICSA's research report into child sexual abuse in children's homes and residential care > View the NSPCC Learning information page on looked after children > Read the latest Working together to safeguarding children statutory guidance > Learn more about safer recruitment > Take our safer recruitment training course > Read our CASPAR briefing on the UK Government plans to reform children's social care in England > Listen to our podcast episode on what's next for children's social care in England About the series The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its final report in October 2022. The report was a comprehensive examination of institutional failings to protect children from sexual abuse, demonstrating the need for a wholesale change in how child sexual abuse (CSA) is tackled. The report highlighted 20 key recommendations that would contribute towards this change. This five-part podcast series explores these recommendations in more detail. A range of experts from both inside and outside of the NSPCC will break down why the recommendations are needed, how they’ll work if implemented, and what impact they might have on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The series is a useful introduction to the Inquiry for anyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people. Intro/outro music is This Too Shall Pass by Scott Buckley