Safeguarding Conversations

Explore how Serious Case Reviews uncover what happens when safeguarding fails and, crucially, how lessons are learned. Sam and Sara break down the process, challenges, and systemic pressures—highlighting why these reviews matter in improving child protection and preventing future tragedies.

A thought-provoking discussion on gaslighting as a safeguarding risk in schools. Sam and Sara explore how manipulative behaviours can affect pupils and staff, the impact on mental health and wellbeing, and the importance of awareness, policy, and creating a culture where individuals feel safe to speak up and seek support.

A powerful exploration of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their lifelong impact on children's wellbeing and learning. Sam and Sara unpack trauma, toxic stress, and why schools must adopt trauma-informed practices—offering practical strategies to build resilience, support vulnerable pupils, and create safe, nurturing environments where every child can thrive.

A thought-provoking look at the Beyond Ofsted inquiry and what it could mean for the future of school inspections. Sam and Sara unpack proposals for a new system centred on self-evaluation, trust, and governance, while raising key questions around accountability, safeguarding, and whether such reform can truly work in practice.

In this podcast, Sam Preston and Sara Spinks explore one of the most prevalent safeguarding areas, domestic abuse.

In this podcast, Sam Preston & Sara Spinks look at the new revisions to Prevent Duty and explore whether they can rescue this problematic counter-terrorism strategy.

Every serious case review tries to include measures so that 'It may never happen again'. In this series of Safeguarding Conversations, Sam Preston (Safeguarding Director as SSS Learning) gets to the heart of what is not working and explores how we can actually keep our children and young people safe.