South Western Dorset Domestic Violence & Abuse

Forum

Crossing the Line

Safeguarding Event

Guest speaker – Marilyn Hawes,Founder and CEO of Enough Abuse

Date: 25 November 2016

Time: 11:00am – 16:00pm

(Registration, tea and coffee from 10:00am)

Venue: West Dorset District Council Offices, South Walks House,

South Walks Road, Dorchester, DT1 1UZ

Aims:

  • The event aims to raise the awareness of the issues surrounding grooming of children and young people.
  • How to recognise the signs of grooming.
  • How and where to access support and information locally.
  • To promote partnership working to make a safer community for our young people.

Target Audience: All parties that work with or have responsibilityfor children and young people. This includes parents and guardians, volunteers in community groups, safeguarding professionals, etc.

Programme:

11:00-11:15 Welcome address by

Matt Prosser, Chief Executive Officer of the Dorset Councils Partnership covering North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council

11:15 -13:00Friend or foe – How would you know? Marilyn Hawes – Enough Abuse

(including Question and Answer session)

Marilyn Hawes is the founder and CEO of Enough Abuse, a child protection charity. She was a music teacher whose sons were sexually groomed and assaulted by their Head Teacher, a close family friend. Using her professional and personal experience Marilyn delivers education on how to recognise grooming, the preamble to child sexual assault.

Marilyn is well known for her strong, pragmatic views. Her empathy and friendly approach reaches out encouraging people to address the issues by raising their understanding which makes for a safer future for children and their families.

Recent feed back from one of Marilyn’s events stated, ‘In dealing in a subject that is still difficult for us, but essential to safeguarding in any environment where there are children, I find it hard to imagine a more effective speaker.’

13:00-14:00Break for lunch and networking

14:00 -15:50 Friend or foe – How would you know? Marilyn Hawes – Enough Abuse

(including Question and Answer session)

Continuation of Marilyn’s thought provoking presentation which will also cover topics such as the Internet and its danger; OFF line and ON line grooming and sexual exploitation; trafficking and radicalisation.

15:50-16:00Closing remarks and thanks from

Cllr Molly Rennie, Chair of the South Western Dorset Domestic Violence & Abuse Forum

Event sponsored by:

SUPPORTED BY DORSET DOMESTIC ABUSE WELFARE COMMITTEE