Feeling Supported FOBISIA Safeguarding Conference 2026

Safeguarding guidance is clear that it is everyone’s responsibility. Yet in many schools, the greatest time, training, and professional dialogue around safeguarding sits with teaching staff, despite the daily presence of HR, admissions, marketing, operations, security, canteen, cleaning, and administrative professionals on site. Using safer recruitment as a case study, this workshop supports DSLs to move safeguarding conversations with non-teaching staff beyond compliance and towards shared understanding of why safeguarding matters, enabling greater nuance, professional judgement, and safer decision-making.

Presenter

Hayley Trenchard is Director of Safeguarding & Continuous Improvement at XCL Education Malaysia. UK-trained in safeguarding and child protection, she specialises in translating UK and international safeguarding frameworks into practical, culturally relevant practice for Malaysia and Southeast Asia. She works closely with non-teaching and HR teams to implement BISSC-aligned safer recruitment, including ensuring the Single Central Record is used as a safeguarding tool for professional judgement and oversight, not simply a compliance checklist. Hayley has worked with Australian universities, British training institutes, and UN agencies including UNICEF, supporting organisations to apply global best practice confidently within their own legal, cultural, and professional contexts.

This workshop is designed to empower educators, leaders and practitioners with the tools and insights needed to foster inclusive, culturally affirming environments for all learners. In today’s diverse educational landscape, the ability to create spaces where individuals feel both safe and seen is not just beneficial—it’s essential.  We will explore the intersection of cultural responsiveness and psychological safety, highlighting practices that honour identity, build trust and a sense of belonging, and promote equity. Participants will explore strategies that support culturally responsive pedagogy, trauma-informed care and inclusive leadership.  Participants will learn how to recognise and respond to the unique cultural assets and lived experiences of their communities, while also addressing systemic barriers that impact belonging and engagement. The workshop will be told through my own real-world experiences and we will learn about practical tools that can be immediately applied in classrooms, schools and organisations.  Together, we’ll explore how culturally responsive practice can be a powerful catalyst for creating environments where every individual feels valued, respected seen and safe.