Safeguarding International Students Conference
🏷️ From £235
🎧 DSLs/CPOs, International Student Leads, Pastoral & Boarding Staff, International Child Protection Leads, Lawyers, Law Enforcement Officers, Senior Leaders, Guardianship & Homestay Providers
📍 Online (conference)
🎥 Watch live or on catch up
Sponsored by:
Course Outline:
This one-day conference provides safeguarding professionals with a global lens on protecting international students in an increasingly complex and polarised world. Participants will explore how geopolitical instability, cultural identity, transnational extremism, digital risk and cross-border care arrangements impact safeguarding responsibilities in education settings. Through expert-led sessions and case clinics, delegates will strengthen their understanding of culturally responsive practice, online harm, guardianship accountability and proportionate responses to emerging risks. The programme combines strategic insight with practical tools to support ethical, legally sound and trauma-informed safeguarding across international contexts.
Training topics will include:
- Geopolitical instability and its impact on international student vulnerability
- Culturally responsive safeguarding and building trust across identities
- Transnational extremism, radicalisation risks and proportionate safeguarding responses
- Guardianship, homestays and cross-border accountability
- Online harm, digital risk and global safeguarding challenges
Learning outcomes:
- Understand how global conflict, migration and polarisation shape safeguarding risk
- Apply culturally informed approaches to disclosures and student engagement
- Recognise indicators of transnational extremism and respond appropriately
- Navigate safeguarding responsibilities across borders and shared care arrangements
- Identify and respond to online harm affecting international students
Programme:
09:30 – 09:45 Welcome & Opening Remarks
09:45 – 10:15 Keynote Address: Safeguarding Without Borders: International Students in an Age of Geopolitical Uncertainty
This keynote examines how global conflict, migration pressures, political polarisation and international mobility are reshaping risk, vulnerability and safeguarding responsibilities in education settings worldwide.
Speaker: Dr Munir Safieldin, Insightful Impact Consultants, Director
10:15 – 10:35 Safeguarding without Borders: The Role of Background Screening in Protecting International Students
Speaker: led by event sponsor, Avvanz
10:35 – 10:50 Break
10:50 – 11:30 Cultural Identity, Belonging and Safeguarding Practice
Exploring how cultural norms, identity, faith, family expectations and geopolitical background influence safeguarding disclosures, engagement and trust.
Speaker: Ann Marie Christian, International Safeguarding Consultant, Trainer and Author and experienced social worker
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Transnational Extremism and Student Safeguarding
Recognising and Responding to Far-Right Radicalisation in Education Settings
A safeguarding-focused session addressing the rise of far-right and extremist ideologies across the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, and their impact on international students.
Speaker: Dr Craig McCann, Specialist Adviser, Counter Terrorism Prevent Strategy
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 14:30 Guardianship, Homestays and Shared Responsibility Across Borders
Examining safeguarding accountability when care is shared between schools, guardians, homestay providers and overseas families.
Speaker: Steph Gilbert, UK Director & DSL, Oxbridge Guardian
14:30 – 14:45 Break
14:45 – 15:30 Digital Lives, Online Harm and Global Safeguarding Risk
International students’ digital lives often span multiple countries, platforms and legal protections.
Speaker: Dr Vaughan Connolly, Director, The Glenlead Centre
15:30 – 14:45 Break
15:45 – 16:30 Case Clinics
Managing Safeguarding Concerns Triggered by Global Events
Speaker: Dr Carolyn Dunn, Vice Principal Pastoral – Designated Safeguarding Lead and SENDCo
Mental Health, Trauma and International Students
Thresholds, Escalation and Multi-Agency Working Across Borders
Speaker: Damian Cranny, Fraud Protect Officer, Dorset Police
16:30 Closing Reflections & Next Steps
Speakers:
Dr Munir Safieldin, Insightful Impact Consultants, Director
Munir is a public policy analyst, economist, and strategist with over 40 years of experience in the United Nations and with NGOs. He has served as UNICEF Representative to Uganda, to the Maldives, to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and as UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria.
Dr Craig McCann, Specialist Adviser, Counter Terrorism Prevent Strategy
Craig is a specialist adviser and researcher on the Counter Terrorism Prevent Strategy and associated Channel programme. As a former senior CT police officer having served within the Metropolitan Police Service and the National CT Headquarters, he has extensive experience of the delivery of Prevent across the UK. He has also led the international delivery of research, project delivery and capacity building across a range of operational contexts including the Western Balkans, East Africa and Asia. He is a published author and has a PhD in comparative politics exploring how the Prevent Strategy is applied to right-wing extremism. He currently works as the Investigator within the Office of the Independent Prevent Commissioner.
Ann Marie Christian, International Safeguarding Consultant, Trainer and Author and experienced social worker
Ann Marie has over 30 years’ experience as a qualified social worker. Since 1996, she has worked across local authorities in frontline services, management, and as a Safeguarding Advisor, LADO, and Designated Safeguarding Lead Trainer. Ann Marie became an independent consultant in 2010, providing safeguarding advice, training, and consultancy services to schools, charities, local authorities, and global organisations, including the NSPCC, COIS, BSME, ISI Consultancy, BSA, IAPS, the Premier League, and many more. She regularly writes for Head Teachers Update, SEN Magazine, and Nursery World, and develops safeguarding courses for Optimus, The Key for Leaders and Educare. Ann Marie has delivered keynotes and workshops internationally in regions such as the UK, Dubai, Singapore, Texas, Monaco, Jamaica and more. Recognised for her impact, she was Highly Commended at the 2019 WinTrade Awards for ‘Woman in the Public Sector’ and previously nominated as NSPCC Child Protection Trainer of the Year.
Steph Gilbert, UK Director & DSL, Oxbridge Guardian (Oxbridge Guardians and Aspired Education)
Steph has been working in international education for 18 years, with 8 years as DSL and in Guardianship. As the UK Director for Oxbridge Group Ltd, she supports and leads the team with specialities in safeguarding, compliance, operations and host family management. Steph has spoken at events previously regarding the NMS, UKVI requirements, student mental health and how to better work together to prioritise the child. Steph is the Vice Chair of Governors for a local state school and has a wealth of experience in the education field, both independent and state sector. She works as a consultant for several youth companies and schools to support with safeguarding best practice.
Damian Cranny, Fraud Protect Officer, Dorset Police
Damian is a Fraud Protection Officer with Dorset Police’s Economic Crime Unit and certified NLP Practitioner. He combines traditional policing with psychological insights to combat fraud through innovative education. His 24-lesson secondary school program explores fraud psychology, while his romance fraud awareness campaign achieved a 323% increase in victim reporting within two weeks. Damian develops presentations that merge real-world police experience with NLP techniques, helping educators understand criminal manipulation tactics. At conferences, he focuses on protecting students from fraud targeting and building resilience against social engineering attacks through comprehensive safeguarding approaches.
Dr Vaughan Connolly, Director, The Glenlead Centre
Dr Vaughan Connolly is Director of Education at the Glenlead Centre and a leading voice on digital safety and safeguarding in secondary education. Working in leading independent schools as a teacher of Computing and IT for over 20 years, he has held senior leadership roles including Vice Principal and Director of IT and eLearning. A published author, Dr Connolly combines technical expertise with practical school leadership experience. His work focuses on translating complex digital risks into clear, proportionate safeguarding practice, supporting educators to protect and empower young people online with confidence and clarity.
Dr Carolyn Dunn, Vice Principal Pastoral – Designated Safeguarding Lead and SENDCo
I have over 20 years of experience in senior leadership and am a chemistry teacher by training. I currently serve as Vice Principal Pastoral, DSL, and SENDCo at a 13–19 Independent Day and Boarding School. I am passionate about inspiring girls in STEM while supporting their personal, social, and academic growth. Safeguarding international students is central to my work, particularly in today’s global and political climate, ensuring every student feels safe, included, and valued. By embedding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into pastoral care, I help students thrive, gain confidence, and flourish within our boarding school community.
