Safeguarding Practitioner Forum: A Vital Space for Shared Learning and Collaboration
Following the overwhelming response to our last safeguarding Practitioner Forum, North Tyneside Safeguarding Children Partnership are pleased to announce an extra date, Tuesday 21st October. This will focus on one of the most complex and sensitive areas of child protection: intrafamilial child sexual abuse.
This is a complex and deeply sensitive area of safeguarding, and one that requires us to come together across sectors to share insight, challenge assumptions, and strengthen our collective response.
Who is the session for?
This session will bring together professionals from across our safeguarding partnership—Police, Health, Social Work, Fostering, and more—to explore the risks and realities of child sexual abuse within the family environment. It is a topic that demands not only professional curiosity but also deep empathy, courage, and collaboration. The forum will provide a safe and reflective space to share experiences and help us challenge assumptions.
We are especially keen to encourage Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) in schools to attend. Education professionals are often the first to notice when something is not quite right. You hold trusted relationships with children and families, and your observations, concerns and professional curiosity are vital in identifying and responding to harm that may be hidden behind closed doors.
What will the forum explore?
The forum will explore the local risks and realities of child sexual abuse within the family environment, drawing on recent updates from the Department for Education and NSPCC. We will also be drawing on insights from the Casey Review published in June 2025, which examined group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse.
While the focus of that audit was on grooming gangs, the findings—particularly around systemic barriers, professional confidence, and the need for joined-up responses—are equally relevant to intra-familial harm. The review calls for a culture of belief, transparency, and accountability, and we will be reflecting on how these principles apply within our own local context.
These materials highlight the importance of recognising subtle signs, listening to the voice of the child, and working collaboratively to ensure we are able to protect and support our children.
What will you gain from attending?
By attending, you will gain:
- A deeper understanding of intra-familial harm and how it can present in educational settings
- Insight into current national guidance and how it applies locally
- Opportunities to hear directly from colleagues across the safeguarding partnership
If you were not able to attend the first session, this is your chance to join a powerful and thought-provoking conversation.
Safeguarding is a shared responsibility—and education plays a vital role. By coming together, we can deepen our understanding, challenge our blind spots, and build a more resilient safeguarding system.
Sign up to attend
- If you have access to the North Tyneside Learning Pool, please use this link to sign up.
- If you DO NOT have access to the Learning Pool, you can sign up via this formor by scanning this QR code:
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