The Anti-Bullying Network Annual Conference

Title: Anti-Bullying and Child Protection: have we gone too far?
Date: Thursday 15th May, 2008
Venue: Menzies Belford Hotel, Edinburgh

Download the conference programme.

The Anti-Bullying Network will be holding its annual conference in May this year. The title of the conference will be 'Anti-Bullying and Child Protection: have we gone too far?'.

How can we strike a balance between the need to protect children from harm and the need to allow them the opportunity to take reasonable risks, learn from mistakes and develop resilience? In recent months, there have been suggestions that the development of anti-bullying policies in schools and exaggerated concerns for children's safety have contributed to a lessening of children's resilience and of their capacity to learn to judge what is and what is not an acceptable risk. For those of us who have long campaigned vigourously for issues such as bullying and child abuse to be taken seriously, this is a difficult charge to accept. But it is one that should be faced.

Themes being discussed will include:

• are we over-protecting our children?
• are we cosseting them from the knocks of life?
• where's the balance between protection and over-protection?
• should we record and monitor every playground incident?
• what is bullying and what is just the rough and tumble of life?
• do we control our children's lives too much?

Keynote speaker on the day will be Tim Gill, London-based author of 'No Fear: growing up in a risk averse society'. Tim believes that children have the potential to be more resilient, capable, creative and able to learn than we give them credit for.  Yet their lives are becoming ever more scheduled, controlled and directed. Tim has been described as "a very welcome antidote to all the wild scaremongering about children’s lives" and "a welcome blast of fresh air".

Other confirmed speakers at this conference are Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People; Councillor Ewan Aitken; Morag Driscoll of the Scottish Child Law Centre; and Tom Roberts from Children 1st.

This is sure to be a popular conference, discussing a subject that is very much in the headlines at present. This full day event will include a variety of speakers, question and answer sessions, coffee and rolls on arrival, refreshment breaks and a sit-down lunch, all in the beautiful surroundings of the Menzies Belford Hotel, Edinburgh. Cost per delegate is £110, or 2 delegates for £190.

To book your place, complete the online form below and click on the 'send' button. We'll then get in touch to confirm your place at the conference. Telephone booking on 0131 220 1455, email enquiries to info@antibullying.net