Overview

Individuals in positions of trust, such as those working in education, sport, faith, care, and community roles, hold significant influence over the individuals they support. This advanced course explores how some people abuse that trust to cause harm. Using insights from perpetrator interviews, the course examines how abusers gain access to children, young people and adults at risk, manipulate those around them, and avoid detection. Participants will explore the grooming tactics used, as well as the behaviours and justifications commonly seen when concerns are raised. The session also highlights the impact of the bystander effect and supports attendees to take confident, proactive steps in challenging inappropriate conduct and embedding a strong safeguarding culture.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Understand how individuals use positions of trust to gain access to and exploit children, young people and adults at risk.
• Explore patterns of offending behaviour and insights from perpetrator accounts.
• Recognise common grooming tactics and manipulation strategies.
• Identify deflection, denial, and justifications often used when abuse is suspected or disclosed.
• Strengthen confidence in challenging inappropriate behaviour and reinforcing safer organisational cultures.