Child Safeguarding Working Group
Expert community committed to effective evidence-based child safeguarding programs
Wherever children live, learn, and play — and wherever adults are responsible for their care — there are opportunities for prevention and intervention. Schools, homes, healthcare settings, communities, and online spaces all play a role in keeping children safe. ISPCAN helps professionals recognize those opportunities and act on them.
About the Child Safeguarding Working Group
The Child Safeguarding Working Group is specifically focused on implementing preventative actions that ensure that all children and young people are protected from deliberate or unintentional acts that could lead to the risk of or actual harm. Thia group plays an important role in protecting children from harm, abuse, neglect, or exploitation
Our Mission:
Child safeguarding is defined as any measure performed to enhance the well-being of children and safeguard them from danger. It involves: Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment Preventing harm to children’s health or development Ensuring children grow up safely and with effective care Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes
Shape the future of the Child Safeguarding Working Group
The primary purpose of the CSWG is to work with members and partners to put forward Internationally sound best practice tools and resources for businesses, organizations and social groups that engage with children to establish a safe and supportive environment for children in various settings. Bring your ideas and expertise and collaborate with us on events at ISPCAN Congresses and online throughout the year. Together, we'll create opportunities to explore emerging safeguarding issues, share and create valuable resources, expand knowledge, and work to bring child protection programs into action.
Why Join the Child Safeguarding Working Group?
Global Connections
Network with child safeguarding experts, and mentors worldwide.
Impactful Programs
Access to data driven effective child safeguarding programs.
Career Advancement
Opportunities to present your work at ISPCAN congresses and virtually.
Cutting-Edge Research
Work alongside world-renowned child safeguarding experts to make an impact in this critical area.
Collaborate & Innovate
Learn from others and work on child global safeguarding projects, research, and advocacy initiatives.
Support for Child Protection Professionals
Get the expertise and support you need to address critical child safeguarding challenges
Get Involved
How to get involved in the Child Safeguarding Working Group
Sign up for an ISPCAN Membership
Connect with the Child Safeguarding Working Group on the member portal
Subscribe to the ISPCAN Newsletter and discussions in the member portal
Join the discussion, start connecting & grow your career!
Who Can Join?
If you are a child safeguarding expert or have an interest in learning more about safeguarding programs, then please join us for the latest cutting-edge research and practice in this area, please consider joining us. The Child Safeguarding Working group is open to active ISPCAN members only.
Current Projects
- Develop international standards for child safeguarding policies and procedures.
- Identify gaps and opportunities to safeguard children
- Create tools and resources for implementation of child safeguarding in small to large scale organizations
- Coordinate public health education efforts across various sectors (health care, education, social services, recreation and sports, faith-based organizations, humanitarian and international development and public sectors and governments) to ensure comprehensive child protection and child safeguarding policies as minimum standards required where children 0-25 are engaged or participate.
- Providing child safeguarding guidance and support to organizations and individuals working with children directly and indirectly.
- Promote international best practices and raising awareness about global child safeguarding issues throughout different sectors
- Support the translation of the international child safeguarding initiatives throughout different sectors
Events and Initiatives
Safeguarding Fundamentals - Protecting Children from Abuse in Sports
A webinar by Premiership Footballer and Dedicated Survivor of Abuse Paul Stewart
The Safeguarding Union - Protecting the People who Protect others
Supporting those who work in safeguarding with access to legal advice, guidance and training and a strong professional community built to support you every day.
Child Safeguarding Working Group Meetings at Congresses
Half-day pre-congress working group will offer a half-day workshop tailored to CAN professionals.
CHILD SAFEGUARDING EMERGING THEMES
• Increased child safeguarding activity due to children’s online activity. Children creating or distributing explicit imagery, being groomed or sexually extorted to viewing violent pornography or radicalization videos.
• Safeguarding Children in Sports
• Poverty as a child safeguarding concern
• The six principles of child safeguarding are: Accountability: Transparency is essential. Empowerment: Children should feel in control of their situation. Partnership: Multi-agency working is important. Prevention Proportionality Protection.
• Prevention that focuses on taking proactive measures to stop child abuse and neglect before they occur. This principle is about creating environments and cultures that minimize the risk of harm to children
Related Resources
Contributing Partners:
Contributing Partners:
Contributing Partners:
Contributing Partners:
Contributing Partners:
Supporting Downloads
Child Safeguarding vs Child Protection Infographic
External Resources
Past Congress Recaps
Conveners of the Child Safeguarding Working Group
Maryam Ehsani
Founder and CEO of Child Safe ME and ISPCAN Board of Directors
Maryam Ehsani is an International Child Rights advocate and a child protection and safeguarding expert who has been leading the development of international child safeguarding standards and frameworks for more than 15 years. She is founder and CEO of Child Safe Middle East and is an executive board member of International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). She has been supporting various organizations such as government entities, corporates, education sector and NGOs across Europe, Middle East and Africa to implement child safeguarding and child protection measures underpinned by the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Most recently Maryam has served as a Scientific Chair at the ISPCAN’s congress in Edinburgh in Sep 2023. And finally her most recent engagement, she has served as a panelist speaker at the COP28 in UAE, which discussed how to Empower vulnerable communities with resiliency amidst climate change.
Rocco Briganti
CEO of Specchio Magico Cooperativa Sociale Onlus and ISPCAN Board of Directors Member
Rocco Briganti, Ph.D. in Education, Degree in Philosophy, a postgraduate degree related to minors and psycho-pedagogical and counseling elements, a Master’s degree in European project and development. Public bodies policies expert; Expert in child safeguarding policies for nonprofit organizations and in the field of sports. Consultant for child abuse and neglect data collection at the National level for the National Authority for Children Rights Guarantee and about safeguarding in Sport for the Italian Government – Sport Department. Rocco is also a valued member of the ISPCAN Board of Directors.
Paul Stewart
Premiership Footballer and Dedicated Survivor of Abuse
Paul Stewart is a former premiership footballer who played for Man City, Spurs and Liverpool, he was also capped 3 times for England. In 2016 Paul waived his anonymity and spoke about the physical and sexual abuse he endured at the hands of a youth coach as a 10-year-old growing up in Manchester.
Paul has joined the EFL’s Life skills team to raise awareness about the importance of Safeguarding. He has worked with the FA SFA and Premiership clubs delivering workshops to Academy Coaches/Parents/Players and his delivery whilst hard hitting also gives an insight into Safeguarding from a survivor’s perspective. Paul was awarded a doctorate from Salford University and the Contribution to League Football Award in 2024 the highest award given to an individual for his contribution to Safeguarding.