Safeguarding Redefined

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses the tragic case of a young person who took their own life.

In this powerful episode, we revisit a live webinar hosted by Patronus Safeguarding, where our very own Chris East joined Klaudia Ratajzack and Martin Chapman to walk through a real and deeply affecting safeguarding case.

Chris shares his experience as a DSL and Safeguarding Manager in a Further and Higher Education setting, from attending a child-in-need meeting for a student with a difficult start in life, to receiving the devastating news of her death.

Together with Patronus, he reflects on how the case was managed, the emotional impact it had, and the vital lessons learned.

This is an important conversation for anyone working in safeguarding. It highlights the human reality behind our systems, and the critical need for a joined-up, compassionate, and well-supported safeguarding approach.

Patronus Safeguarding offers a flexible and affordable reporting tool, trusted by organisations from grassroots clubs to national sporting bodies.

Patronus Safeguarding:

LinkedIn

Website

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

Do DSLs and Behaviour Management Really Mix?

In this episode, Chris is joined by the passionate and insightful Lucia Martin, a specialist pastoral tutor, for a powerful conversation about one of the biggest tensions in schools: how do we balance behaviour management with safeguarding?

From blurred roles to the fear some students feel about “getting told off,” this episode explores what it really takes to build a safe, trusting environment where young people can thrive.

Lucia brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to supporting students, reminding us that connection must come before correction, to create a safe space for growth.

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

What happens when you've dealt with too much?

Jennie Blake has spent 25 years safeguarding young people, including within the housing and homelessness services.

Youth violence. Death. Trauma. Systemic failure.

She’s seen it all, and felt the cost.

In this raw and honest conversation, Jennie shares:

• The impact of serious safeguarding concerns on staff mental health

• How desensitisation creeps in and why that’s a warning sign

• Why frontline workers often feel like they have to “just keep going”

• And what needs to change so those protecting others aren’t left unprotected themselves

  
  

If you’ve ever felt emotionally flat, overwhelmed, or quietly burning out, this episode is for you.

Connect With Jennie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennieblaketraining/

Website: https://www.jennieblake.com/

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

Is it genuine love… or a warning sign?

In this powerful episode, PJ Livett, Founder of rePHRASE, returns to help us explore the early stages of relationships, and how to know if yours is a healthy or toxic one.

From love-bombing to controlling behaviours disguised as care, we explore:

• The red flags you might miss

• What healthy love really looks like

• How to help young people spot the difference

Whether you're guiding teens or reflecting on your own experiences, we hope you, and the young people in your life, find this episode helpful and eye-opening.

Connect with PJ Livett:

LinkedIn

RePhrase

rePHRASE helps equip young people with the knowledge and skills to: 

• build and maintain healthy relationships;
• empower them to know their worth and build self-esteem;
• help individuals recognise the importance of boundaries and choice within relationships; 
• support young people to develop skills/resilience to deal with the influences of modern technology / social media on relationships and sex;
• enrich learning experiences through relevant, interactive teaching methods that deepen learning, increase retention and improve confidence. 

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

In this episode, Chris East combines two of his greatest passions - history and safeguarding - to take us on a fascinating journey through time.

From the early days of child protection in the Victorian era and the founding of the NSPCC, through to the major turning points of the 20th century, Chris explores how safeguarding has evolved into the practice we know today.

Whether you're curious about where safeguarding came from or simply love a good story with purpose, this episode is packed with insight, context, and a few surprises along the way.

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

Do you work in Pastoral, Wellbeing and/or Safeguarding?

We're joined once again by Mike Leaman and we're shifting our focus on to the sometimes unsung heroes of education: 'Support Staff'.

Together, we explore:- How pastoral and safeguarding skills transfer across roles- The emotional toll of this work (and how to manage it)- What to consider if you're thinking of a career move- The best time of year to make a transition

Whether you're in the thick of it or planning your next steps, this one's packed with insight and encouragement.

Mike Leaman is the founder of Classroom Exit Coach®.

He supports teachers and educational leaders navigating career change, setting up their own businesses, and developing side projects through coaching and practical support.

Prior to this, Mike was the Deputy Headteacher of a high performing secondary school in England.

Connect With Mike:

LinkedIn

Classroom Exit Coach

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses suicide and bereavement.

What do you say to someone who has lost a loved one to suicide?

How can we actually support them, not just in the moment but in the months and years that follow?

In 2018, Caroline’s husband of 18 years took his own life without warning, leaving behind their two young children.

Caroline’s journey following this tragedy led her to combine her lived experience with her professional skills and expertise to become a Strategic Communications and Wellbeing Specialist, mentor, and a public speaker where she shares her story of grief and loss to give a voice to those impacted by suicide.

She has also written the best-selling book, ‘Daddy Blackbird: the true story of a family surviving and thriving after loss by suicide'.

The complex trauma resulting from Steve’s sudden suicide has defined Caroline’s mission to support and empower others who have faced a similar tragedy, helping them to manage their grief, navigate their complex emotions, prioritise their own wellbeing, articulate their own story and ultimately find hope again.

For more information: 

Book: https://amzn.eu/d/bXAtx2S

Website: https://daddyblackbird.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-roodhouse-mcipr-a5948622

Bluesky: @daddyblackbird.bsky.social

Substack: https://daddyblackbird.substack.com/

💜 Explore the peer-to-peer support from Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

💚 If you need a safe space to talk, you can speak with Samaritans on 116 123

💗 Find guidance and support through the SANE Textcare and SANEline services

💜 Contact the National Bereavement Service for practical guidance and emotional support

💙 Download the FREE Hub of Hope app from Chasing the Stigma

💛 Explore the resources from Campaign Against Living Miserably

🧡And support a bereaved child with the help of Winston's Wish

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

We’re joined by the bold and uncompromising Sema Gornall, CEO of The VaVengers, a UK-based charity fearlessly fighting to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and all forms of violence against women and girls, both here in the UK and around the world.

Sema doesn’t tiptoe around the truth.

She challenges the labels, flips the narrative, and asks: What if the way we talk about abuse is part of the problem?

Forced marriage, FGM, domestic violence - these are not traditions, they are violations. And it’s time we stopped dressing them up in the wrong language.

The VaVengers are shifting the conversation and handing power back to women and girls who’ve had it taken from them for too long.

Connect With Sema:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/semagornall/

The VaVengers: https://thevavengers.co.uk/

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

Feeling the Weight of Safeguarding?

You’re Not Alone.

DSLs carry enormous responsibility - but who supports them?

Victoria Morris, with 20 years in education and 10 as a DSL, joins us to talk about the power of supervision.

We explore why supervision is essential for those holding safeguarding responsibility - offering not just support, but space to reflect, be challenged, and process the emotional impact of the role.

A must-listen for anyone working on the frontline!

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk 

When a child has a serious allergy, their safety depends on the people around them being prepared - and that includes, schools, care givers, and you.

This week, Chris is joined by Tracy Dunn, Education & AllergyWise Manager at Anaphylaxis UK, to explore why allergy management is a safeguarding matter, not just a medical one.

We dig into the confusion between intolerance and allergy; why schools and organisations must have clear, proactive plans in place; and how a lack of clarity and preparation can put children at risk.

If you’re a parent, a professional, or someone working with children, this conversation is for you!

Connect on LinkedIn:

Tracy Dunn

Anaphylaxis UK

Website

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Safeguarding Redefined is brought to you by Cornerstone Safeguarding - supporting those who carry the weight of supporting others.

We’re redefining safeguarding - not as a checklist, but as a culture.

One built on supervision, strategy, and support, so you’re never doing it alone.

–

Need fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts - all in one place?

Join Cornerstone Connect  - our FREE membership programme designed to keep you informed, equipped, and ahead. 

Enjoy early bird discounts, priority event booking, and regular safeguarding updates straight to your inbox!

Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East

Host of this episode: Chris East

Follow On LinkedIn

Chris East

Leah East 

Cornerstone Safeguarding

Learn more at https://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk