The Postgraduate Association was happy to help support the multidisciplinary conference Safeguarding: a multi-disciplinary view across the lifespan through the PGA's Doctoral Students' Fund.
The conference, held on March 25 in the East Building, was organised by Joy Cranham, a PhD researcher in the Department for Education, and other doctoral students in the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences.
The conference bought together academics, researchers and practitioners from a variety of disciplines including: social psychology, social work, education, social policy and law.
The feedback from the delegates indicates the topics covered were well received. Those present were given the opportunity to consider current research and theories which enabled discussion around current policies and how they could be improved, including the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the South West of England, Victoria Cook.
- Dr Alexandra Stein, the opening speaker, and Frances Peters spoke on processes of recruitment and retention in coercively controlled relationships, including cults;
- Victoria Christodoulides, PhD researcher in the Department for Health described the impact of exiting harmful relationships and how service providers need to understand how complex recovery can be;
- Dr Alinka Gearon shared her research around trafficked children and in what way xenophobia and current practises towards migration are criminalising these young people in a way that is detrimental to their safety;
- Frances Johnson, PhD researcher in the Department of Social & Policy Sciences described the challenges and difficulties of keeping unaccompanied asylum seeking minors safe.
The conference was closed with a description of a preventative educational approach which could keep children safe from harmful groups and individuals.
This event's organisers thanked the support of the SU's Postgraduate Association, as well as that provided by and the University of Bath’s Doctoral College.
If you have an event or project to develop doctoral research culture, the PGA's Doctoral Students' Fund could help support it.
