Strand 2
Student conference 2027

Read presentation information for Strand 2, and view presenter biographies.

Safeguarding for your future profession

11.15 to 12.00pm

The session will cover essential safeguarding considerations in order to prepare students to work safely, legally and ethicaly with adult clients. Although adult focused, the session will include child safeguarding issues which arise when working with adult clients, such as with parents and carers.

The session will highlight key statutory obligations, an understanding of duty of care, what constitutes ‘significant risk of harm to self or others’, informed consent and when to break confidentiality.

Best paractice guidance documents will also be referenced in relation to safeguarding, including the principles of the Care Act (2014) and how this relates to practice.

This presentation is available online and in person.

Jo Holmes is BACP's Safeguarding Officer with extensive experience of working with children, young people and adults at risk of harm in a range of local authority and third sector service settings. Jo has a professionally trained background in youth work and in counselling.

Jo worked as the Designated Safeguarding Lead in an Academy school setting for 8 years, including attending Child in Need and Child Protection conferences as part of this work. She later worked in the same secondary school as an in-house school counsellor whilst also working on a sessional basis for a BACP accredited service.

In 2019 Jo joined BACP as the Children, Young People and Families lead which she led on for 6 years. Her policy work included involvement in the NSPCC Changemakers group linked to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, campaigning for the recommendations of the final report to be implemented.

Jo took on an additional role of Designated Safeguarding Lead at BACP in 2022, with the role becoming a fulltime officer role in September 2025.

Finding your specialism: my journey into higher and further education

12.10 to 12.55pm

Many practitioners consider developing a specialist area of practice but are unsure where to begin. In this session, Emma will share their professional journey into counselling within Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) settings, reflecting on the opportunities, challenges and key decisions that shaped my career.

Drawing on Emma's experience within the sector and insights gained through my work on the BACP Universities and Colleges Division Executive Committee, they will provide an overview of the current HE and FE landscape, including emerging opportunities for counsellors and the skills, experience and networks that can support career progression in this field.

The session aims to increase understanding of counselling roles within educational settings, encourage practitioners to reflect on their own professional development and specialisation, and demonstrate how engagement with professional communities can support career growth. Attendees will leave with practical insights and actionable steps to help them explore and develop a specialist area of practice that aligns with their interests, values and career aspirations.

This presentation is available online and in person.

Emma Wingate has been a Counsellor in Higher Education since 2013 and a Supervisor in Private practice since 2017 where she also specialises in working with those in Education. Emma has a rich background in working with diverse student populations, providing individual counselling, crisis intervention, and wellness workshops. Her dedication to fostering supportive and inclusive academic environments is evident in her innovative approaches, such as commissioning a play about the university experience. In 2024 she delivered a TEDx talk on Wellbeing in Education to help share the some of the collective wisdom and learning from over a decade counselling students. In 2025 she became a member of the Executive committee of the Universities and Colleges Division where she currently serves as Deputy Chair.

Transitioning and belonging: from isolation to finding my place

1.55 to 2.40pm

What helps us feel that we belong when life is changing around us, or within us?

Drawing on Joanne's gender transition, they will explore isolation, self-acceptance and belonging, and the difference made by allies, a support network and being heard. The session will consider how support can respect someone’s agency, and why being accepted by others does not always mean feeling able to be yourself.

Students are navigating change too: developing a professional identity, finding their place among peers and preparing to take responsibility as practitioners. Joanne's story offers a starting point for reflecting on those experiences, while recognising that different life transitions carry different pressures and risks.

Through storytelling and optional reflection, the session will invite students to notice their assumptions, consider the impact of their words and explore validation without taking over someone else’s journey. We will connect this learning with listening to people through changes in relationships, work, health and identity.

Students will leave with a clearer picture of their own support network and one practical action for their personal development, peer relationships or future practice. Isolation, acceptance and belonging will be explored as experiences we may revisit, rather than a fixed sequence.

This presentation is available online and in person.

Joanne Lockwood is a keynote speaker and inclusive culture expert who helps organisations create workplaces where people feel they belong. She is founder and CEO of SEE Change Happen, working with HR, talent and learning and development teams to turn inclusion into practice.

Her career began in IT and STEM, with more than two decades spanning the Royal Air Force, cable television businesses and technology roles in financial services and insurance. She later moved into HR and people consulting, bringing that technical background into her work on the human side of AI.

As a transgender woman, Joanne brings lived experience to conversations about identity and belonging. Her speaking combines expertise with storytelling and warmth. She hosts the Inclusion Bites podcast and writes for HRZone, The HRD and TrainingZone. Guided by her mantra, Smile, Engage and Educate, she encourages audiences to reflect on their assumptions and how they relate to others.

3.00 to 3.45pm

This presentation is available online and in person.

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