Protect and Support Vulnerable Teenagers - Speakers

Oliver Welsby, Consultant, Trainer and Speaker, Brightcore Consultancy (Chair)

Oliver has extensive experience as both a DSL and a Mental Health Lead. He has a master’s degree in educational leadership; a qualification in which he specialised in the management of safeguarding with a specific focus on the development of effective mental health strategies within schools.

Chris Elmore, MP

Since his election, Chris has particularly focused on issues that impact young people, especially in a digital age. In March this year, he launched a report after leading a year-long inquiry carried out by the APPG on ‘Social Media and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing’ investigating the relationship between young people and social media. The inquiry’s report has been warmly welcomed by clinicians, educationalists and professionals across the field of social media.

Dr Holly Gordon, Development and Impact Manager, NSPCC

Dr Holly Gordon is a development and impact manager for the protect and respect exploitation service at the NSPCC with over 12 years’ experience as a qualified social worker. She has previous experience of frontline practice in Local Authority children’s services and has managed looked after child and leaving care teams. Holly has obtained a doctorate in social work from Keele university in 2018. She is an experienced trainer and has regularly delivered training to DSL’s in Wales.

Richard Howes, Vice Principal, Blessed William Howard RC School

Richard has a strong background in pastoral care with the majority of his career spent working in secondary schools in the West Midlands. He is currently Vice Principal at Blessed William Howard RC School in Staffordshire overseeing all aspects of pastoral care and safeguarding.

Lorna Naylor, Anti-bullying and Online Safety Coordinator, NCC

Lorna has worked for NCC for 12 years as Anti-bullying and On-line safety coordinator (the online safety role grew out of work on cyberbullying and then developed to look at young people and their online behaviour and how we can support them and their families to use the developing technologies safely and responsibly. She works mainly in schools and other settings and runs a lot of workshops for parents in this area.

Jade Sievewright, Mental Health and Wellbeing Practioner, MindSpace

Jade is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner who joined MindSpace in June 2017 and since then has worked across all secondary schools in Barnsley and supported over 800 pupils through mental health intervention. Jade has a degree in child development with a wide range of experience and mental health training from working in a social emotional and mental health special school

Lauren Tiffany, Emotional Health Support Worker, MindSpace

Lauren is an Emotional Health Support Worker who recently joined the MindSpace team, Lauren has a degree in Education with Psychology and Counselling, Lauren has supported and mentored young people with a range of needs in a variety of specialist educational settings including mainstream and special schools, including work within the local community.

Mike Williams, Senior Evaluation Officer, NSPCC

Mike Williams has been working in evaluation for 20 years. He joined the NSPCC in 2007 after having worked on the evaluation of local place based programmes Better Government for Older People (in Sheffield) and Sure Start (in Haringey). At the NSPCC he has evaluated a range of initiatives relating to the prevention of child sexual abuse. This has included an evaluation of Fresh Start, the NSPCC’s Centre for Child Sexual Abuse (2007-2010), the Child Trafficking Advice and Information Line (2009), a prevention programme working with the Somali community in East London and more recently the NSPCC’s child sexual exploitation programme, Protect & Respect.

Coleen Worrall, Director of Student Services and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Cannock Chase High School

Coleen has worked in student support for over 15 years and has had extensive experience with students that present with behavioural, emotional, social or mental health concerns. She has a vast knowledge of working with agencies and partners and has held other roles within her local community within Targeted Youth Services, Youth Offending Service as well as working with other schools as a trustee and governor in the Staffordshire area. She is currently Director of Student Services and Designated Safeguarding Lead at Cannock Chase High School.