National Editorial Panels

Our National Editorial Panel is an advisory body, comprised of multidisciplinary experts across Education, Safeguarding, and Online Safety. Each national panel reviews and scrutinises our resources for accuracy and relevance, upholding the quality of our work and ensuring it meets the highest standards.

England, Wales & Isle of Man

Sarah Bloomer

Director of Safeguarding

Sarah has worked in education for two decades as a teacher and then as a safeguarding executive across five multi-academy trusts for the last decade. In the past couple of years Sarah has also worked in elite sport and charity safeguarding leadership after conducting cross-sector research into a culture of safeguarding. Sarah leads on safeguarding strategy and culture, training and development and quality assurance and governance and chairs a network on over 100 MAT Directors of Safeguarding who focus on systems leadership, peer support, and innovative safeguarding practices. Sarah has held multiple governance roles in education and holds a degree in History and English, a Masters (MA) in Safeguarding in Education and an MSc in Leadership in Education.

Adam Duckers

Designated Safeguarding Lead

With 18 years of experience in education, Adam Duckers brings a wealth of knowledge from both mainstream and special education settings. For the past three years, he has served as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), championing student welfare and safety across the school community.

Adam is deeply committed to creating inclusive environments where every student feels safe, valued, and empowered to succeed. He believes that a positive school climate is built on trust, care, and high expectations. His passion for integrating modern technology into education has helped schools provide safeguarding support around the clock, ensuring no student is ever left behind.

Driven by a belief in equity and excellence, Adam works tirelessly to ensure all learners have access to the best possible educational experience.

Alana Watson

Trust Safeguarding Lead

Executive Leader of Safeguarding | Multi-Academy Trust | Midlands

With over 20 years of dedicated experience, Alana is an Executive Leader of Safeguarding across a multi-academy trust in the Midlands, committed to ensuring the safety, welfare, and empowerment of every child. Alana’s career reflects a consistent and proven track record built on practical expertise, professional curiosity, and the confidence to respectfully challenge when needed.

As a safeguarding professional, Alana is driven by the belief that every child deserves a champion someone who sees their potential, believes in them, and stands firmly in their corner. Alana brings passion, persistence, and a relentless commitment to creating safe, trusted environments where all children can thrive.

Alyssa Isaac

External Services Co-Ordinator & Equality Lead

Alyssa works in a strategic role within the Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture. With a background in mental health, she supports schools in promoting wellbeing and manages relationships with external services to strengthen education provision. She also provides guidance on equality and accessibility across the department, helping to embed inclusive practice. Over the past two years, Alyssa has collaborated with the Safer Schools team, contributing to the rollout of their new app for the Isle of Man. She is excited to join the panel and contribute to safer, more inclusive, and accessible digital resources for children and young people.

Jon Needham

National Director of Safeguarding and Mental Health

Jon originally trained as a nurse specializing in adolescents with life limiting illnesses before moving to become an advisor to a strategic health authority and a commissioner in a primary care trust. He worked briefly as a specialist advisor on two World Health Organization projects before becoming the lead for early help in a large local authority.

He became an safeguarding advisor 23 years ago managing the support offer to 530 schools and for the past 7 years has worked as the National Director of Safeguarding & Mental Health in an international charity, the UK arm of which has 55 schools, 36 community hubs, 9 churches and a young offenders institute.

He holds a PhD in Education Safeguarding and acts as a mentor to five young men in industry ensuring that they develop to their full potential. In his spare time, he is a voluntary youth worker.

Nedaa Belal

Head of GCSE and Head of Safeguarding- Senior DSL

Nedaa holds a degree in English Language and Literature from Damascus University and an MBA from University of Hull. Before joining the College, Nedaa gained substantial corporate experience as a senior manager with BMW in the Middle East. During her time as an MBA student, Nedaa also worked for Leeds and Hull universities.
In her current role as Head of Safeguarding and Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at David Game College, Nedaa has overall responsibility for safeguarding across the College. She leads the safeguarding team, oversees all safeguarding and child protection procedures, and works closely with local authority professionals and external agencies to ensure that the College meets all statutory requirements. Her role involves managing referrals, supporting staff with safeguarding concerns, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring the consistent implementation of safeguarding policies and best practice across all departments. She plays a central role in supporting vulnerable students and ensuring that all staff receive appropriate safeguarding training.
Alongside her DSL duties, Nedaa is also Head of the GCSE Department, where she oversees all students of compulsory school age (CSA). She provides a structured pastoral and academic programme, offering guidance on personal, financial, and health-related matters. She works closely with GCSE teachers to monitor attendance, academic progress, and students’ overall wellbeing.
Nedaa also plays a key role in the wider pastoral and curriculum provision. She coordinates the PSHE and support curriculum for GCSE students and arranges visits from external speakers who contribute to the College’s PSHE, RSE and wellbeing programmes. Within the College, Nedaa is an active member of several committees, including the Pastoral Care Team, Academic Board, Safeguarding and Vulnerable Student Committee, and the Risk and Issue Committee, ensuring safeguarding remains at the heart of strategic and operational decision-making.

Nicola Law

Director of Safeguarding

Nicola has worked in the field of safeguarding for 20 years, with the last 16 years as a senior Safeguarding leader in Education. Nicola has experience leading safeguarding nationally across five Multi-Academy Trusts, covering primary, secondary and special schools. Nicola is passionate about preventative practice, being child-centred within a whole family approach, professionalising the role of the DSL in Education and strengthening the voice of Education in the multi-agency arena.

Rahbia Choudarey

Safeguarding Lead

A trained teacher by profession, Rahbia’s background within the education sector spans safeguarding, inclusion and attendance. As Safeguarding Lead, her current areas of focus are augmented curriculums, serious youth violence and educational equality. She leads regular training for all colleagues and serves as the primary point of contact for safeguarding matters.

Rebecca McGuinn

Trust Lead – Safeguarding, Behaviour, Attendace, Wellbeing

With over two decades of dedicated experience working directly with children, young people, and their families, I bring a real understanding of the barriers that shape a child’s educational journey and impactg on future life chances. My career spans a variety of areas, including education social work, early intervention and prevention and children in the care system.
I am passionate about early identification for children when that support is required within their family home and change is required to their parenting environment. Through leading Multi-Academy Trust safeguarding, and by creating and building a culture around safeguarding that is well understood, well embedded and well implemented positivie change is possible. Driving change across the 26 schools in our Trust brings significant challenge in a world where childrens mental health is more prevelant and profound, and poverty remains increasing and ever present leading forward facing school based safguarding systems is critical.

Scott Wilson

TKAT Senior Safeguarding Lead

Scott spent a decade working as a front line Police Officer for Kent, working across a number of specialised departments. He was the Acting Sergeant for a Task Force, a multi-agency team, tackling a range of safeguarding concerns within the community. During this time Scott specialised in county lines and child sexual exploitation. He then moved into the world of education where he was the Lead DSL, within a school setting. Whilst there, he set up an award-winning safeguarding team. He has also worked closely with mental health charity Place2be and has had input into the Mental Health Government Green Paper.

Scott currently works as a Senior Safeguarding Lead across a large academy trust supporting over 24.000 children and 4000 adults to keep safe. Scott is passionate about making a difference and making sure safeguarding is more than just a policy but a culture.

Vikki McDowell

Head of Year / Computer Science Teacher / E-safety Coordinator

As a Computer Science teacher I am passionate about promoting online safety because I believe every young person deserves to explore the digital world with confidence, awareness, and protection.
Growing up surrounded by technology, I’ve seen how empowering the internet and technology can be—but also how easily misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy risks can affect students who aren’t prepared for them.

By raising awareness, sharing practical advice, and encouraging open conversations, I hope to create a school environment where everyone feels supported and equipped to navigate technology in a positive way.

Scotland

Catriona Scobbie

Safeguarding Lead Officer

Catriona is the Safeguarding Lead Officer with Education Scotland, leading and managing corporate and digital safeguarding across the organisation, whilst also collaborating more widely with partners in Scotland and across the UK on related projects. She is an experienced teacher, having worked within primary and secondary schools, and also as a teacher for children and young people with additional support needs. Prior to joining Education Scotland, Catriona worked centrally for a local authority in Scotland advising and supporting education staff on safeguarding, child protection and online harms. She has been involved locally and nationally in online safety education, policy and practice since 2008.

Alison McCook

Learning Technologist

Alison McCook has served as a Learning Technologist in the Education Digital Learning Team at Moray Council since 2019. Dedicated to empowering the education community, she supports Early Years, Primary and Secondary education by providing guidance and delivering training that enables staff and learners to integrate technology effectively into teaching and learning. Committed to improving educational outcomes, Alison works collaboratively with stakeholders to develop policies and initiatives that make technology accessible and impactful across Moray’s schools. Prior to her role in education, Alison spent 15 years in the gaming industry in project management ,marketing, product development, and general management roles.

Charlie Love

Quality Improvement Officer – Digital

Charlie Love is a senior education adviser and long-standing contributor to digital learning and computing science education in Scotland. He has supported national curriculum and assessment development through work with the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, with a strong focus on ensuring safe, equitable and effective use of digital technologies in schools.

Charlie is a member of the Aberdeen City Child Protection – Child Exploitation Group, where he contributes to multi-agency discussions on identifying, preventing and responding to risks facing children and young people. His background as a teacher, examiner and local authority lead for digital learning gives him a practical understanding of how safeguarding, technology and classroom practice intersect.

Graham Binnie

Independent Chair Child Protection Committee

I am a former police officer, having spent a large portion of my career in Public Protection. Latterly, I led public protection and public health partnership work in Tayside and worked for Scottish Government as Programme Director for Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC), a national criminal justice transformation programme. Since leaving policing I have been fortunate to gain roles as Independent Chair of Perth and Kinross Child and Adult Protection committees, which includes Public Protection Co-ordination, as well as Independent Convenor of the MAPPA Strategic Group across Tayside. I am a co-opted Director at the High School of Dundee, with specific responsibility for Safeguarding. My spare time is largely spent in sport, and have coached in men’s and women’s rugby at all levels as well as coaching with Scottish Rugby. I also volunteer as President at Perthshire RFC and sit on the Perthshire Community Rugby Trust.

Jonathan Hull

Principal Teacher: Equity (Digital Inclusion)

I am an innovative and passionate digital educator with over eleven years of teaching and leadership experience, holding an MEd in Educational Leadership (with Distinction). I have a proven track record of driving sustained and impactful school improvement through strategic leadership and quality assurance. I am skilled in integrating digital technologies to promote inclusion, reduce the poverty-related attainment gap, and advise on equitable access to technology.

As a respected and credible leader, I build trust and excel at developing people by building capacity through professional learning, coaching, and a collaborative mindset. I am adept at using data-driven decision making and stakeholder feedback to identify priorities and ensure initiatives are evidence-based and impactful. I am often described as a strategic thinker demonstrating innovative and solution focused approaches in all aspects of my work.

Julia Rickard

Education Support Officer

I am an Education Support Officer for Digital Pedagogy within Aberdeenshire Council supporting our 160+ schools across the region with using technology to enhance learning, teaching and assessment. I have taught in primary schools since qualifying in 2002 and for 13 of those years I was a Head Teacher. In my current role, part of my remit is to support our schools with online safety and promoting good online habits.

Pauline Smith

Headteacher

I have worked in education for over 33 years as a teacher, depute headteacher and headteacher. My current post is headteacher of a large primary school in Perth and Kinross. My school was one of the first in the local area to have a Digital Schools accreditation which reflects our commitment to embracing technology. However, I have always had a passion for safeguarding and have a growing sense of concern around the emerging negative impacts of the use of some technology on our young people. I am pleased to be able work alongside Safer Schools to support educators in this area.

Rosslyn Lee

Digital Development Officer

I’m the Digital Development Officer for North Ayrshire covering 65 schools comprising four Early Years Centres, 50 primaries, 9 secondaries and 1 ASN school.

Passionate about advancing digital learning, I teach pupils digital skills, including Internet Safety while also training staff to integrate these skills into their practice. I am the Glow Key Contact for North Ayrshire and support schools in the use of Glow.

I act as liaison between Education and Data Protection, IT Services, and Cyber Security to ensure the safe and effective use of digital platforms. Supporting schools in achieving the Digital Schools Award I also contribute to a wide range of initiatives that strengthen digital skills and resilience across Education.

Northern Ireland

Joan Henderson

Educational mentor and coach

Joan Henderson brings over four decades of experience in education, leadership, and safeguarding. Her career spans roles as a teacher, principal, university lecturer, and Education and Training Inspector, where she developed inspection protocols and represented Northern Ireland in European early childhood intervention projects.

As founder of a successful training and coaching consultancy, Joan delivers early years training, leadership development, mentoring, and executive coaching to education professionals and corporate leaders. She designed and led the widely acclaimed Aspiring Leaders Programme, which impacted over 700 educators across Northern Ireland. Joan’s work over the last two years has been with individuals who want to change roles, careers and overcome responsibility and personal life challenges.

She is passionate about promoting best practice in support for children and young people, safeguarding and empowering leaders to drive meaningful change, improve outcomes, and create safe, supportive environments for learning and growth.

Bimpe Archer

Regulatory Affairs manager

Bimpe Archer is Ofcom’s online safety and media literacy lead for Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Her role includes developing and managing relationships with stakeholders across the public, private and voluntary sectors, promoting Ofcom’s media literacy work and strategy, liaising with counterparts in Irish regulator Coimisiún na Meán, and contributing to online safety policy development and strategy delivery at the UK communications regulator.

Before joining Ofcom, she worked as a journalist for two decades, finishing her career at the Irish News where she was a weekly columnist, duty news editor and award-winning news reporter. During her journalism career, she also worked at the Belfast Telegraph and City Beat, as well as contributing to BBC News and RTE radio programmes. She lives in Belfast with her husband and two children.

Dawn Chisholm

Teacher

“I have been teaching and privileged to be shaping young lives in Northern Ireland since 2006. Initially specialising in mainstream Physical Education until 2018, my focus has evolved into passionately promoting the health and well-being of pupils and safeguarding young people facing social, emotional, and well-being challenges.
My current professional practice is deeply rooted in a trauma-informed, therapeutic, and nurturing approach. Through this methodology, I design and deliver a curriculum that provides essential support, allowing vulnerable young people to maintain access to their education and foster a positive, hopeful vision for their future.
Outside of my professional life, I am a proud mum and a dedicated Liverpool fan.”

Deidre Coffey

Education Manager – RSE and the Preventative Curriculum

Deidre Coffey – Senior educationalist at CCEA with responsibility for Relationships and Sexuality Education, Period Dignity and the Preventative Curriculum
Deidre is a former Head of Biology in two NI Grammar Schools, and a former national Senior Education Advisor for the British Red Cross.
She has expertise in all four UK National Curricula, having directed and managed substantial multi-faceted and award-winning education programmes across the UK and internationally.
Deidre has experience of developing educational resources and support materials in Science and Humanitarian Education, as well as resources covering a wide range of RSE issues. She has been responsible for the majority CCEA’s work on RSE, including the development of an RSE Hub and Progression Framework.

Dympna Thornton

Justice Partner

Grace McCarthy

Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock

Grace has been working as the Vice Principal for Pastoral Care at Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock for over six years. The College is a selective, co-educational, Catholic grammar school with 1422 students (aged 11-19) from the Greater Belfast area and North Down/Ards. As the Safeguarding lead of the College, Grace is passionate about ensuring that the preventative curriculum is fit for purpose and reflects an evidence based meaningful provision for all students.

Holly Rankin

Head of Senior Department

I’m Head of the Senior Department at Hill Croft School, and have spent over 16 years working within the special education sector. Safeguarding, inclusion, and creating meaningful opportunities for young people with additional needs are at the heart of everything I do. I’ve worked across all key stages, which gives me a broad perspective on how to support learners throughout their education. As a Makaton Tutor who has completed the Makaton Safeguarding course, I’m committed to promoting inclusive communication as part of effective safeguarding practice. I’m passionate about developing resources and approaches that not only include our sector but truly reflect its unique needs.

Julie McDevitt

Vice Principal

I’m the pastoral Vice Principal at Ardnashee School and College, and I’ve spent over 26 years working in Special Education—a career that’s been as rewarding as it is varied. Safeguarding, wellbeing, and inclusion are at the heart of everything I do. I’m trained in trauma-informed practice, which helps shape my approach to creating safe, supportive environments for learners and staff. I love finding creative solutions to complex challenges and making sure every learner feels valued. Collaboration is a big part of my role, and I enjoy working with colleagues and external partners to share ideas and develop best practice. As part of the INEQE editorial panel, I contribute fresh thinking and practical insights to strengthen safeguarding across schools. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep driving creative, collaborative approaches that build resilience and make school communities even stronger.

Matthew Joyce

Vice Principal

Matthew is the Vice Principal of Ballyclare Primary School. Previously he was Vice Principal of Moneymore Primary School. In both schools he has undertaken the role of Head of Pastoral Care and Designated Teacher for Child Protection. As part of his role he has built up valuable experience working alongside parents, colleagues and support agencies to safeguard children.

He holds an MEd in Educational Leadership and has been involved in supporting first time Vice Principals through the Education Authority mentoring scheme. He has a particular interest in whole school development planning; teacher professional learning and assessment tools.

He has experience teaching Key Stage 1 and 2 classes over the past 15 years and enjoys designing and delivering programmes of work that are relevant, engaging and progressive.

Outside of school his time is spent with his family including two young daughters. His eldest daughter has just begun her school journey.

Niall Manogue

Principal

Niall is the Principal of Braniel Primary School, in East Belfast. Previously, he was Principal of West Winds Primary School in Newtownards having taught in schools in Cambridge and Belfast. Prior to this, Niall worked as a Youthworker and managed international partnerships for an Irish International Development Charity. Niall is interested in Teacher Professional Learning and in exploring how schools can connect with local communities.

Pamela Algie

Principal

Pamela is the teaching Principal of Bangor Integrated Nursery School. She is passionate about how educational technology can be used to support and enhance learning and teaching in purposeful and meaningful ways. Before becoming a Nursery School Principal Pamela taught in Primary Schools as a Foundation Stage Teacher and part of the ICT team. She holds an MSc in Educational Multimedia and is an Apple Distinguished Educator. Pamela is an author for Bloomsbury Education’s Early Years Platform, sharing digital technology learning and teaching ideas for use with 3-5 year olds. Pamela has nine years experience as the designated teacher for safeguarding within her schools and values the opportunity to be part of the INEQE editorial panel.

Shirley Jones

Retired Inspector

Shirley recently retired from the Education and Training Inspectorate after 26 years. Prior to this she worked as a social worker in statutory family and childcare, and then in Further and Higher Education as a senior lecturer and deputy head of department. As an inspector, Shirley was committed to supporting a range of education and training organisations in providing high quality learning experiences for all learners, underpinned by safe and supportive learning environments. For over ten years she chaired ETI’s panel for Care, Welfare and Safeguarding. Her work in relation to child and adult protection and safeguarding in education and training settings led, in 2023, to the award of an OBE. As Shirley embarks on her retirement she continues to be passionate about the need for awareness and commitment to safeguarding in an increasingly complex world and wishes to contribute to the development of this agenda.

To learn more about the work of our National Editorial Panels, please contact us;

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