Sexual violence and harassment in schools: best practice and remedies - Free Webinar

This seminar will address the regulatory framework and current guidance on sexual abuse, PSHE and safeguarding from the Department for Education. It will consider the obligations of schools in this area and what needs to be done in particular to prevent abuse, investigate allegations and protect children in their care. It will cover legal remedies for families and children in this area- including complaints, judicial reviews and civil claims including under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Programme

• Context and overview of statutory framework: Nicola Braganza, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
• Guidance and best practice: Andrew Lord, Associate Solicitor, Leigh Day
• Legal remedies: Gráinne Mellon, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
   

Recording

Speaker Profiles

Nicola Braganza, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers 
Nicola specialises in Public law, involving human rights, in Equality and Discrimination law, and in Immigration and Asylum law. She has particular expertise in representing highly vulnerable adults and children. She is ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners directories in Employment law, for her discrimination work, in Immigration, and in Civil Liberties and Human Rights; described by C&P as "a formidable advocate whose cross-examination skills are second to none", is an "extremely empathetic" and "fearless" advocate "wholly committed to challenging discriminatory practices wherever they arise".

Nicola regularly provides training and workshops and has been an invited speaker at the European Academy of Law on the EU Directives on Equality and Anti-Discrimination for many years.  She also frequently acts in human rights claims against the state and recently in a case extending the reach of the Equality Act 2010 to ex-servicemen and women subjected to discrimination in relation to their age and disability. Nicola also sits part-time as an Employment Judge and a First-Tier Tribunal Judge on the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Gráinne Mellon, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Gráinne Mellon is a specialist public law, children’s rights and education law barrister. She is frequently instructed in complex SEN cases and has particular expertise in discrimination, community care and public law issues that arise in accessing education. She has acted in a range of successful judicial review claims this year including in relation to EHCP failures, challenges to budgetary decisions and most recently in a successful challenge against the Secretary of State for Education in relation to discrimination in student finance applications. Gráinne also acts in civil claims in the education field including for breaches of the Human Rights Act arising from harassment or abuse in schools including in a recent case where the High Court approved a settlement for a six-year-old who was sexually assaulted by a classmate.

Andrew Lord, Associate Solicitor, Leigh Day
Andrew is a solicitor representing survivors of abuse in civil claims for compensation. Since joining Leigh Day in 2014 Andrew has represented survivors in claims for abuse in various children’s homes, voluntary organisations, religious organisations and sports clubs. He has also brought claims against individuals and been instructed on several cases involving peer-on-peer abuse.

Andrew has provided comment on matters of child abuse in the national and local press, and has featured on BBC News, ITV News and LBC radio amongst others. Andrew was identified as a rising star in the 2022 edition of Legal 500 and was 'Lawyer of the Week' in the 9 September 2021 edition of The Times.