Article published on 24 August 2026.

Let’s Talk Safer Families – Autumn Safeguarding Webinars

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Let’s Talk Safer Families has supported parents, carers, and professionals across the children’s workforce to better understand some of the challenges facing children and young people today. This autumn, we are sharing a programme of online events exploring emerging safeguarding concerns and practical approaches to prevention and intervention.

While these sessions have been designed with parents and carers in mind, they have consistently been well attended and highly rated by safeguarding professionals, education colleagues and practitioners across children’s services. Each event features specialist speakers with extensive frontline experience, providing evidence-informed insights and practical guidance that can be applied within professional practice.

With increasing concerns around harmful online content, misogyny, child exploitation, relationship harm, and the influence of social media on young people’s beliefs and behaviours, there has never been a greater need for professionals to understand these issues and feel confident responding to them.

These sessions offer an opportunity to strengthen professional knowledge, develop confidence in recognising and responding to concerns, and gain practical strategies to support safeguarding and prevention work.

Upcoming events

All events are available to book on the Let’s Talk Safer Families website.

5 October | The Manosphere and Young People

With Sav Vaid

Sav is an experienced practitioner delivering specialist teenage relationship abuse programmes across the Midlands. Drawing on extensive frontline experience, she will explore the growing influence of manosphere content, its impact on young people’s attitudes and behaviours, and how professionals can effectively respond and engage young people in constructive conversations.

13 October | Understanding Harmful Pornography

With Meena Kumari

Meena is a highly respected educator and specialist in gender-based violence, healthy relationships and safeguarding. This session will examine how harmful pornography can shape attitudes, expectations and behaviour among young people, while exploring practical approaches for professionals supporting children and families.

20 October | How Algorithms Can Shape Harmful Beliefs and Misogyny

With Lewis Nurton

Lewis is a leading educator specialising in bystander approaches and behaviour change. He will explore how social media algorithms can influence beliefs and attitudes, particularly around misogyny and harmful narratives, and discuss strategies that build critical thinking, resilience and digital literacy in young people.

More events coming soon

We’re pleased to share that additional sessions are planned throughout the autumn and winter, featuring recognised experts in safeguarding, exploitation prevention, healthy relationships and online harm.

We are particularly excited to welcome Dr Junior Smart OBE for two specialist sessions in November. Junior is one of the UK’s leading experts on youth violence, child criminal exploitation and safeguarding. For more than 20 years he has supported young people impacted by violence, gangs and exploitation and has helped shape national practice across the sector.

Forthcoming topics include:

  • AI and Online Harm: What Families Need to Know (Meena Kumari)
  • Educating Against Hate (Sav Vaid)
  • Understanding Child Criminal Exploitation: Grooming, Risk and Prevention (Dr Junior Smart OBE)
  • Masculinity, Belonging and Exploitation: Why Young Men and Boys Get Drawn In (Dr Junior Smart OBE)
  • Teenage Relationship Abuse: Early Warning Signs and Support (Meena Kumari and Sav Vaid)

Why attend?

These sessions are designed to complement safeguarding practice and support professionals working directly with children and young people.

Participants will gain:

  • Greater awareness of emerging safeguarding risks and current themes affecting children and young people
  • Increased understanding of harmful online influences, misogyny, exploitation and relationship harm
  • Practical strategies for recognising concerns and responding appropriately
  • Confidence in discussing sensitive issues with children, young people and families
  • Information about support services, resources and referral pathways
  • Opportunities to submit questions to expert speakers during the sessions

Accessible and easy to attend

We recognise the pressures facing professionals across education, health, social care, youth services and the voluntary sector. To make attendance as accessible as possible:

  • Cameras and microphones can remain off
  • There is no expectation to contribute verbally
  • Questions can be submitted via the event chat
  • Simply join, listen and take away practical learning and resources
  • If you are unable to attend live, recordings will be available via our YouTube channel

Please feel free to share this information with colleagues and partner agencies across your safeguarding networks across the South West peninsula and beyond.

If you have any queries, please contact rebecca.shwenn@teignbridge.gov.uk


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