Please note that each day will begin at 10am and end at 3pm.<br />
<br />
Our two-day agenda is packed with thought-provoking sessions designed to inform, inspire, and engage. From keynote addresses, delivered by experts, to breakout workshops and live Q&amp;As, the programme offers something for everyone with an interest in safeguarding. Browse the agenda to plan your experience, get involved and make the most of your time at the DBS Annual Conference 2025.<br />
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The two days of conference will be themed:
<ul class="editorList">
	<li>Tuesday 7th October &ndash; DBS Strategy, technology and the future of safeguarding.</li>
	<li>Wednesday 8th October &ndash; Importance of effective information sharing in safeguarding.</li>
</ul>

A welcome to conference message from the Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls.

Opening from the Minister

A welcome message from DBS Chairman, Dr Gillian Fairfield.

Welcome from DBS Chairman

A chance to meet the new CEO of DBS, Dr Jeff James during a conversation with Sam. Submit any questions you have for Jeff, either before or during the chat.&nbsp;

Q&A with DBS Chief Executive

Join DBS colleagues who will introduce delegates to the new DBS 3-year strategy and positive impacts it will have on safeguarding.

Introduction to DBS Strategy

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			<td align="left">Whilst the hysteria around AI has slowed, the public sector remains largely untouched by the potential transformative nature of AI technologies. Supt Lincoln-Gordon will dive into how evidence can be used to ensure that AI technologies are delivered responsibly, safeguarding our organisations&rsquo; ethics and values. Working collaboratively will be key to delivering improved, more human-centred services across the public sector.</td>
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Keynote: Both overhyped and underhyped – how can the public sector cut through the noise and ensure that AI is used to deliver a more effective and efficient service?

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			<td align="left">Join Ian Johnston, Michele Duerden &amp; Parul Kumar as they delve into the world of customer experience, exploring how customer feedback is being used to shape services and the importance they place on fostering a customer centric culture. They will discuss the challenge of shifting towards 24/7 digital services as well as how AI tools are helping to improve service quality.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
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			Don&#39;t miss out on this chance to gain valuable insights and be part of a conversation that shapes the future of DBS customer experience.</td>
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Customer Experience - What does it really take to make customers feel seen, heard, and valued in a digital-first world?

Aimee is particularly committed to safeguarding children and young people from the evolving threats of online fraud and cyber-enabled crime.<br />
<br />
In this session, Aimee will present findings from the CREST and City of London Police report on online fraud targeting individuals aged 10 to 21 across England and Wales. She will explore key threat trends, share practical safeguarding strategies, and highlight resources available to help professionals, educators, and families protect young people in an increasingly digital world. &nbsp;

MS Teams: Online Fraud and the risks to young people

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			<td align="left">Mike can share insight into the work of the Child Safety Online Taskforce and how it is playing its part &ndash; including its pioneering new initiative that demonstrates that &ldquo;children&rsquo;s online safety is good for business&rdquo; &ndash; which is an innovative new approach the NSPCC is rolling out across industry.</td>
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Keynote: NSPCC: Keeping children safe online

Lunch break

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			<td align="left">The DBS is undergoing a significant digital transformation to enhance its services for users. This presentation will show how DBS is leveraging user-centred design principles to create more intuitive and accessible services. We will demonstrate the importance of collaboration with customers and the continuous feedback loop to ensure that our digital services meet the evolving needs of users. </td>
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User First: Delivering service innovation through user centred design

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			<td align="left">In this session the Ann Craft Trust will explore what circumstances could make an adult at risk of online harm, the emerging themes of online adult abuse, technology based online grooming, how to spot it might be happening and where you can go for help? </td>
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Ann Craft Trust: Safeguarding Adults Against Online Abuse

This session will look at the DBS&rsquo; identity verification guidance. Led by the DBS Policy team, this session will aim to address some of the key elements of the guidance.

MS Teams: ID checking

Organisations who employ individuals or have volunteers who carry out regulated activity with children or adults have a legal duty to refer to DBS if certain conditions are met. This bitesize session will focus on DBS&rsquo; Barring functions, with a particular focus on understanding this legal duty to refer.

MS Teams: Legal Duty to Refer to DBS

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Your opportunity to join this interactive session where delegates can ask DBS experts anything regarding our products and services.

MS Teams: DBS 'ask us anything'

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			<td align="left">Organisations who employ individuals or have volunteers who carry out regulated activity with children or adults have a legal duty to refer to DBS if certain conditions are met. Personnel suppliers who provide individuals to organisations to carry out regulated activity also have a legal duty to refer. &nbsp;<br />
			<br />
			This workshop will cover: &nbsp;
			<ul class="editorList">
				<li>How to access the barring referral service &nbsp;</li>
				<li>Who has the legal duty to refer &nbsp;</li>
				<li>The conditions of when you must refer &nbsp;</li>
				<li>Guide to completing the referral form &nbsp;</li>
				<li>What documents to include &nbsp;</li>
			</ul>
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DBS: Barring Referral Service Workshop

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			<td align="left">This webinar will explore the processes an Enhanced DBS check must go through, looking at the Police&rsquo;s involvement with this level of check and why delays can occur. The workshop will be of value to those who have an interest in safer employment and recruitment procedures.</td>
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Main stage workshop: Enhanced DBS Check Process

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We will be joined by colleagues from Access NI and will be discussing issues in safeguarding that are specific to Northern Ireland.&nbsp;

MS Teams: Northern Ireland Workshop

This webinar will focus on the disclosure elements of DBS, namely DBS checks, with a particular focus on understanding eligibility for Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks. This session is aimed at individuals who are involved in the recruitment of staff or volunteers and would like to learn more about the different types of DBS check and when a role is eligible for a particular type of check.

MS Teams: Understanding Eligibility for DBS Checks

This webinar will explore the DBS Update Service and the benefits to organisations, and applicants using the service. This session will be of value to recruiters and employers who are interested in learning more about the Update Service.&nbsp;

MS Teams: Update Service Masterclass

<span style="font-size:22px;"><a href="https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NDNlZmZmMzUtZmI1OC00OTAzLTkzOGYtYzIzMWZjMmE2MDgz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f24d93ec-b291-4192-a08a-f182245945c2%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%226a5d8b5d-4356-4725-9c56-b93392f48c1c%22%7d" style="font-size: 22px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Click to join via Teams</span></a></span><br />
This webinar will explore transferable harmful behaviour, looking at those situations where an employer may have to consider if the duty to refer is met if someone has caused harm to another outside of their work. This webinar will be of interest to those who work vulnerable groups and have safeguarding responsibilities.

MS Teams: Harmful Behaviour Outside of the Workplace – should this be referred to DBS

Close and observations

Welcome

Anna is an experienced national leader and reviewer in safeguarding and child protection systems improvement, skilled in understanding complexity, framing shared strategic direction and developing evidence-informed responses to need.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Specialist knowledge and interest &ndash; child exploitation and extra-familial harm; adolescent safeguarding; structural exclusion and inequality; sexual abuse and whole family support in relation to complex need and engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Anna will speak about:
<ul class="editorList">
	<li>The importance of information sharing in the current safeguarding context</li>
	<li>Challenges in relation to information-sharing based on review work&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Whole system &lsquo;gains&rsquo; from information sharing based on review work&nbsp;</li>
</ul>


Keynote: Information sharing to safeguard children

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			<td align="left">Hear from DBS barring experts about:
			<ul class="editorList">
				<li>Why DBS needs information.&nbsp;</li>
				<li>What information DBS uses at each stage of making a decision.&nbsp;</li>
				<li>Who DBS might seek information from.&nbsp;</li>
				<li>The law around sharing information with DBS.&nbsp;</li>
				<li>When and how DBS will share information.&nbsp;</li>
				<li>What can happen when DBS does not receive information, or it is delayed&nbsp;</li>
				<li>Some helpful hints and tips&nbsp;</li>
			</ul>
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Workshop: Risks of not sharing information with DBS

Safe Sport&rsquo;s mission is to establish a comprehensive and integrated approach to safeguarding in sport throughout the UK. The workshop will update you on the key recommendations from the published report and explore the next phase of the project, which will focus on assessing the feasibility and scope for implementing these recommendations.

Main stage workshop: Safeguarding in Sport

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			<td align="left">Join a panel discussion, chaired by Julian Blazeby, Board member at DBS with a panel of experts in safeguarding in sport to discuss sport specific challenges in safeguarding and sharing their insights and experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
			<br />
			Delegates encouraged to join in, comment and ask questions of panel.&nbsp;</td>
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Panel: Safeguarding in sport

<span style="font-size:22px;"><a href="https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_M2Y5MWM2MGUtMDA0Mi00NDI5LWJlZDktNTY1YzEzMDVjZTE3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f24d93ec-b291-4192-a08a-f182245945c2%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22918c819c-eea7-4452-aca7-74e65ac5a922%22%7d" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Click to join via Teams</span></a></span><br />
This webinar will focus on the disclosure elements of DBS, namely DBS checks, with a particular focus on understanding eligibility for Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks. This session is aimed at individuals who are involved in the recruitment of staff or volunteers and would like to learn more about the different types of DBS check and when a role is eligible for a particular type of check.

Short break

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			<td align="left">This session will focus in on Discriminatory Abuse, what it consists of, what the specific barriers to identification and reporting are, how it overlaps with hate crime, how it arises in Safeguarding Adults Reviews and how different protected characteristics may receive different responses from safeguarding practitioners.</td>
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