Sometimes people ask me “as an Education Adviser, apart from delivering training what else fills your time?”. It’s true that a large part of my work allows me to focus on supporting schools and other settings, through a variety of types of consultancy and training, to consider their practice in safeguarding children and adults. As advisers for SFE we are immensely proud of the fantastic feedback we get from this area of our work. One noticeable thing that sets us apart from some competitors is that as we’ve all worked in schools, we understand the practice behind the theory and we love to share our knowledge of best practice and current concerns.

However, I am really fortunate that I also have the opportunity to work with a much wider range of professionals in the children’s workforce, to ensure that processes, procedures and practice support staff and children to be and feel safe. I attend various inter-agency meetings and aim to reflect a voice of education in a practical and independent way. For example recently I’ve collaborated with one of the named GPs for Safeguarding in the city to work together to identify how organisations can work together more effectively through sharing information at an Early Help level. Our work on this has led to some upcoming changes in the local threshold document.

One organisation I work with is Birmingham Against Female Genital Mutilation (BAFGM). BAFGM has been active in Birmingham for many years, working to support survivors of FGM as well as campaigning to eradicate the practice. Professionals from different workforces – including the Police, NHS, Higher Education, Schools, Charities, BCT and BSCP – work together in this aim to support adults and children. Over the years, the organisation has gone through changes of leadership and vision and is currently being rebranded once again. Watch out for a new logo later this academic year and details of current and future campaigns. A big part of BAFGM’s work is involvement in national and international research projects and awareness raising events – for example the international FGM Zero Tolerance Day which this year will fall on 6th February 2025. Details will be shared nearer to the time of events planned for this important day.

Via BAFGM I am hugely excited to announce that UK Government Funding has been secured, via the Economic and Social Research Council, for a three-year research project entitled “Improving the language used to communicate about female genital mutilation (FGM) in educational and community settings in the West Midlands”. Some of you may recall supporting the early research for this project previously when you

answered information gathering questionnaires and attended a twilight session to look at introductory research findings. Significant funding now means the entire project can be undertaken, led by staff from the University of Birmingham with support input from myself, NHS colleagues and charity colleagues, which will have national and international significance in how FGM is discussed in educational materials and promotional campaigns to eradicate the harmful practice. This type of research, looking specifically at how the language used resonates with communities impacted by the practice, is unique.

I hope you are as excited as I am to hear this vital piece of research is happening and if you wish to be involved, we will be working with schools and families throughout. We are looking for secondary schools who share our passion to eradicate this practice to join us on this project (there is a small payment available for schools who participate as a recognition of the time and resource invested). To express initial interest in your school being a part of this exciting research – which would involve sharing curriculum resources used, observations of lessons being taught on FGM, discussions with staff, students and parents – please email me for information as soon as possible to register your interest in this exciting opportunity which could have national and international implications.

So, to summarise – what do I do apart from training? – the answer is quite varied and quite a lot!

To contact me please email jo.perrin@servicesforeducation.co.uk