Child Protection Charity Holds Conference At Police HQ

A one-day conference being organised by the child protection charity, The Lucy Faithfull Foundation and the Stop it Now! campaign, is being held at West Mercia Police headquarters at Hindlip in Worcester on Monday 15 March.

The charity, based in Alvechurch in North Worcestershire, works to reduce the risk of children being sexually abused and at the regional conference, aims to explore some of the key issues surrounding child sexual abuse and to highlight how everyone has a role to play in preventing it.

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation works with child protection and public protection professionals as well as perpetrators of child sexual abuse and their families. With West Mercia's Chief Constable Paul West being the ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) lead on the Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders, the force has a close relationship with the charity, and is pleased to be able to offer use of their facilities for this regional conference.

The conference is open to those in child protection and public protection roles as well as police officers, children's service providers, foster care workers, youth workers, child care staff, psychologists and a host of others who work with children and families. Those attending will hear an opening address by Detective Superintendent Martin Lakeman, Head of Public Protection at West Mercia Police, followed by a presentation by Donald Findlater, Director of Stop it Now! , UK and Ireland.

Delegates will attend a series of specialist workshops to consider female sexual abusers, Internet offending and children and young people who display worrying sexual behaviour. The day will end with examples from Stop it Now! projects across the UK.

Detective Superintendent Martin Lakeman said: "The Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Stop it Now! UK and Ireland play an important role in child protection and we are pleased to offer our support by providing them with a venue for today's conference.

"Increased awareness of child sexual abuse is vital and the force currently works extremely closely with these charities in raising awareness, particularly around using the internet safely, through the four Local Safeguarding Children Boards.

"We hope that the information shared at the conference will help all those attending gain a greater insight into key issues and how their particular role/agency can play a part in preventing further abuse."

Donald Findlater added: "The conference is called ‘Preventing Child Sexual Abuse - Making it Everybody's Business' and that says it all. We cannot expect or allow one agency alone to tackle the problem of child sexual abuse. Everyone who has contact with children, including their families, and indeed the wider general public, has a role to play in preventing abuse taking place. We hope the conference will go some way to help delegates see prevention as a real possibility and will challenge them to engage with others to meet this goal."

Issued: Thursday 11 March 2010