Skip To Main Content

STRATEGIC SUPPORT SESSIONS

NESA Child Safeguarding & Protection Community of Practice: ICMEC-led Collaborative Meetings for CP Leads & Team Members

Connect and collaborate with fellow NESA educators to strengthen child safeguarding practices in your school.

WITH DEBBIE DOWNES, International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children – ICMEC

Dates: Sep 15 & 22, 2026 & Apr 20, 2027 Open To: NESA Schools
Type: 3-Part Collaborative Program For: CP Teams
Delivery: Online (Synchronous) Registration: School Subscription

REGISTER NOW

Program Overview

In collaboration with Debbie Downes, ICMEC’s Director of Global School Initiatives, NESA is once again pleased to offer three online collaborative meetings on child safeguarding for those who lead this work in schools. 

Designed to support your work throughout the year, these sessions will offer opportunities to explore best practices as outlined in the NNL Child Protection Response Team Member Workshop Level 1, as well as to: 

  • Discuss trends in school child safeguarding concerns and share guidance and resources for responding to concerns. 
  • Analyze real scenarios and case studies from schools to improve prevention, policies, and response protocols. 
  • Share ideas for involving students and partnering with parents to strengthen school safeguarding programs.  

Outcomes

  • Build connections and community with fellow professionals.
  • Receive ongoing guidance and encouragement.
  • Be equipped with scaffolds, strategies, and tactics.
  • Stay current with the latest developments and educational imperatives in child protection.

Participants will earn a Certificate of Participation.

Continue the Conversation

There will be time during the sessions for you to receive support for any current safeguarding concerns your school might be addressing, and each session will be followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A.

Participants are encouraged to stay connected between and beyond the sessions, using the cohort as an ongoing source of professional dialogue and support throughout the year.

WHO IT'S FOR

NESA Member and Affiliate School child safeguarding leads and child protection team members.

A NESA Practice & Inquiry (P&I) Collaboratives offering.

SCHEDULE

The three one-hour sessions will be held live at the same time on each date:

Tuesdays, 2:00-3:00 PM (Athens, Greece time)

  • September 15, 2026 (GMT+3)
  • September 22, 2026 (GMT+3)
  • April 20, 2027 (GMT+3)

Each session will be followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A.

REGISTRATION

School Team Registration Fees
  • NESA Member & Affiliate Schools: US$100 

The school subscription provides access to all three sessions for a school team of up to 25 participants.

NOTE: Sessions will not be recorded.

Please review the Cancellation Notice before registering.

About the Speaker

Debbie Downes
Debbie Downes

Director of Global School Initiatives, ICMEC
LinkedIn

DEBBIE DOWNES joined the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children as the Director of Global School Initiatives in August 2022. In this role, she develops and provides child protection training, support, and resources to schools around the world. She has been supporting ICMEC’s work as a regional trainer since July 2020. Debbie is also an active member of the International Taskforce on Child Protection (ITFCP) and currently co-chairs the committee on Online Harm and Abuse.

Debbie has worked in international education for 18 years, first as an elementary teacher, then as school principal, and then as Accreditation and Child Protection Lead for an organization of 36 international schools. 

Debbie’s background in child protection includes an MSW from the University of California at Berkeley and several years of experience working in the court unit of Children and Family Services in Contra Costa County, California. 

2026-2027 STRATEGIC SUPPORT SESSIONS
Debbie Downes
Inclusion in Action Level II

LAUREN JONES

November 4 & 11, April 21