Annual Safeguarding Children Conference 2011
Protecting children from the hidden harm of drug and alcohol misuse, 8 June 2011
The conference featured presentations from speakers with wide-ranging expertise and experience in the field of child protection and adult alcohol and drug misuse, showcasing good practice and sharing resources.
It was attended by 250 professionals from the local authority, the police, health services and voluntary sector, and was rated as good or excellent by the vast majority of those who attended.
Speakers included:
- Judge Nicholas Crighton - Sits on the Family Drug and Alcohol Court, a pioneering court in central London that aims to break the cycle of parental drug and alcohol abuse resulting in children being taken into care. Member of the Munro Review Group which looked at child protection systems.
- Dr Mike Shaw - From the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. Expert on the impact on child mental health of drug and alcohol abuse within families.
- Judith Harwin - Professor of Social Work at Brunel University and directs the Brunel Interdisciplinary Child and Youth Focused Research Centre. Member of a European Union 17‑country study of children whose parents misuse alcohol.
- Mary Ryan - Independent consultant on children’s services. Research fellow for the evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol court.
- Richard Green - Retired Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant. Served on Scotland Yard’s Child Protection Command, and worked on the Child Abuse Investigation Team in Richmond upon Thames and Hounslow.
- Shelagh Willis - Former Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children in Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster and Richmond upon Thames. Now delivering safeguarding training, based on her extensive experience of child protection issues in the borough.
There was a performance by Potential Youth Theatre.
The conference was sponsored by Mondale Events
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