Trying Not to Get It Wrong

Trying Not to Get It Wrong

More policies. More restrictions. More fear of getting it wrong. But are we actually creating safer environments? In this episode Chris East and Benedict Sutton explore the uncomfortable reality that safeguarding can sometimes become so defensive, risk-averse, and compliance-driven that it unintentionally weakens the very relationships that keep people safe. Yet sometimes the safest-looking decision on paper isn’t the safest decision at all. Together, they unpack: * the hidden cost of ‘cover your back’ safeguarding * how fear creates bottlenecks, rigidity, and isolation * why leadership culture matters more than policy volume * and what it takes to build safeguarding cultures rooted in trust, judgment, accountability, and human connection. This is a powerful conversation about moving beyond performative safeguarding and creating systems that are not only defensible, but supportive, relational, and achievable in real life.  Useful Links:  * https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding [https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding]  - Every coffee you buy helps us keep creating practical tools and content for safeguarding professionals like you * To find out more about Cornerstone Safeguarding - www.CornerstoneSafeguarding.co.uk [http://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk]  * Email us at Cornerstone: info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk [info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk] * Book in a meeting to discuss your safeguarding needs:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4 [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4] * Subscribe to Cornerstone Connect -  https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/ [https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/] - for fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts.  * Chris East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/] * Leah East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/] Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East Host of this episode: Chris East

What Porn, Social Media & Silence Are Teaching Young People About Consent

⚠️ Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, coercion, pornography, misogyny, and online abuse. Drawing from over 50,000 anonymous testimonies submitted to Everyone’s Invited, this episode explores what happens when sexual violence, misogyny, and online abuse become so common that young people begin to believe they are simply 'normal'. Chris speaks with Alex Somers about the culture young people are growing up in and the realities many adults still don’t want to face. Together, they unpack: * why pornography is increasingly shaping young people’s understanding of sex, consent, and relationships * the rise of violent sexual behaviours becoming normalised among teenagers * the toxic online narratives influencing both boys and girls * the dangerous gap between what young people experience and what adults are willing to talk about * how shame, silence, and fear stop young people from speaking out * and whether schools, parents, tech companies, and government are failing to keep up with the realities young people are navigating every day. This is an uncomfortable but essential conversation. Connect with Everyone'e Invited: If you want to reach out to Alex or the team at Everyone's Invited, please email them at education@everyonesinvited.uk [education@everyonesinvited.uk]. Instagram: @everyonesinvited for regular updates on what the charity is up to. Website: https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/ [https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/] ----- Useful Links:  * https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding [https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding]  - Every coffee you buy helps us keep creating practical tools and content for safeguarding professionals like you * To find out more about Cornerstone Safeguarding - www.CornerstoneSafeguarding.co.uk [http://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk]  * Email us at Cornerstone: info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk [info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk] * Book in a meeting to discuss your safeguarding needs:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4 [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4] * Subscribe to Cornerstone Connect -  https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/ [https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/] - for fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts.  * Chris East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/] * Leah East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/] Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East Host of this episode: Chris East

Burnout Is a Safeguarding Risk: The Hidden Danger Behind Decision Fatigue

What if burnout isn’t just a wellbeing issue? What if it’s already affecting safeguarding decisions in schools? In this brutally honest episode, Chris chats down with organisational psychologist Karen Forshaw to unpack the safeguarding risks created by chronic stress and impossible workloads. Because stressed safeguarding professionals don’t just feel exhausted - they'll miss things, become too reactive, and eventually the system will start failing the very ones it was designed to protect. This episode explores: * why overloaded DSLs become vulnerable to decision fatigue * how safeguarding cultures silently create risk * the link between burnout and flawed judgement This is a conversation every school leader needs to hear! Connect with Karen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenforshaw/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenforshaw/] Human Edge Performance: https://www.humanedgeperformance.com/ [https://www.humanedgeperformance.com/] ----- Useful Links:  * https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding [https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding]  - Every coffee you buy helps us keep creating practical tools and content for safeguarding professionals like you * To find out more about Cornerstone Safeguarding - www.CornerstoneSafeguarding.co.uk [http://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk]  * Email us at Cornerstone: info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk [info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk] * Book in a meeting to discuss your safeguarding needs:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4 [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4] * Subscribe to Cornerstone Connect -  https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/ [https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/] - for fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts.  * Chris East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/] * Leah East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/] Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East Host of this episode: Chris East

This Is How Stalking Really Begins - And Why It Gets Missed

We’re closing our stalking series with a crucial perspective. Recorded last November, Chris speaks with Jane Harvey, CEO of the Hollie Gazzard Trust, exploring what often comes before stalking is recognised. Because it rarely begins where we think it does. What if the real risk isn’t the moment someone turns violent, but the months, even years, leading up to it? In this episode, we explore: * How fixation turns into obsession * Why stalking behaviours are so often minimised or dismissed * The subtle warning signs that are explained away * How victims gradually lose control of their daily lives From digital footprints to so-called 'harmless' jokes, this conversation challenges the narratives that allow harmful behaviour to go unchecked. If the previous episodes showed you the impact, this one helps you see it coming. Resources mentioned: Am I Being Stalked tool: ⁠https://www.suzylamplugh.org/am-i-being-stalked-tool⁠ [https://www.suzylamplugh.org/am-i-being-stalked-tool] Hollie Guard App: ⁠https://hollieguard.com/⁠ [https://hollieguard.com/] Connect With Jane Harvey on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeharveyuk2024/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeharveyuk2024/] Hollie Gazzard Trust on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollie-gazzard-trust⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollie-gazzard-trust] Hollie Gazzard Trust website: ⁠https://holliegazzard.org/⁠ [https://holliegazzard.org/] ---- Useful Links:  * https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding [https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding]  - Every coffee you buy helps us keep creating practical tools and content for safeguarding professionals like you * To find out more about Cornerstone Safeguarding - www.CornerstoneSafeguarding.co.uk [http://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk]  * Email us at Cornerstone: info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk [info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk] * Book in a meeting to discuss your safeguarding needs:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4 [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4] * Subscribe to Cornerstone Connect -  https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/ [https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/] - for fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts.  * Chris East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/] * Leah East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/] Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East Host of this episode: Chris East

I Didn’t Know I Was a Victim: The Reality of Abuse After You Leave

This episode is not easy listening - but it’s one you need to hear. Lorna Allen shares what it’s really like to live through coercive control, stalking, and abuse that doesn’t end when the relationship does. From the outside, it didn’t look obvious - there was no single moment, no defined line. Just a slow, confusing change in behaviour that only made sense in hindsight. “I didn’t even know I was a victim… until the police told me.” In this conversation, Lorna speaks openly about: * Why leaving isn’t the end of the story * The reality of coercive and controlling behaviour * The daily impact most people never see or understand * How systems meant to protect can still leave people exposed Lorna also shares why she made the difficult decision to go public, and what needs to change to protect others. This isn’t just awareness, it’s a lived reality. And for many, it doesn’t end when the relationship does. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-allen-cft/ Useful Links:  * https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding [https://buymeacoffee.com/cornerstonesafeguarding]  - Every coffee you buy helps us keep creating practical tools and content for safeguarding professionals like you * To find out more about Cornerstone Safeguarding - www.CornerstoneSafeguarding.co.uk [http://www.cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk]  * Email us at Cornerstone: info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk [info@cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk] * Book in a meeting to discuss your safeguarding needs:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4 [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ0ZwllED1_R0eAmzurUNbXW6dk92TtCp9BE8oysOnlPwBl3L2vNEooyvSJ3fQaQBk_q1onKflh4] * Subscribe to Cornerstone Connect -  https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/ [https://cornerstonesafeguarding.co.uk/resources/cornerstone-connect-sign-up/] - for fresh safeguarding insights, priority access to support, and exclusive discounts.  * Chris East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-east-801496174/] * Leah East on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-east-cornerstone/] Producers of this episode: Chris East, Leah East Host of this episode: Chris East