Completed a degree in Social Policy and Criminal Justice in 1998 and joined Devon and Cornwall Police in April 1999. I have worked in many different areas of Policing including as a Diversity Officer, a Youth Intervention Officer and then as a Missing Intervention manager working with victims of Child Sexual Exploitation. I was part of a multi-agency team who identified the network leading to Operation Mansfield, a complex Child Abuse Investigation in 2010, and then worked on several other large CSE investigations. In 2015 I was diagnosed with PTSD and experienced burnout but was successfully treated and supported at work. I went on to work in the Counter Terrorism Unit and then in 2018 joined the National Modern Slavery Unit. In June 2020 I became a Wellbeing officer working as part of a team to develop and improve the way we support police staff and officers across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset. During my two years as part of the team I have led on developing our Virtual Talk Café’s covering topics such as Cancer, Bereavement and Menopause. I am currently collaborating with several local authorities to bring together a Women’s Health Conference covering five different areas of women’s health. Alongside a colleague we have hosted two virtual wellbeing festivals, covering all aspects of wellbeing including mental health, Cancer, interior design, zoo visits, Yoga classes and much more and this led to us winning a national police award.

Presentation Title: Taking a Whole-Organisation Approach to Preventing Workforce Burnout

Looked after children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation making around 20 per cent of those identified as at risk and therefore never before has it been more important to get creative with contextual safeguarding, creative solutions and bespoke interventions tailored to the child. Katherine will talk about innovative practice models used at keys to prevent and protect  those at risk of exploitation, in keeping with a therapeutic ethos. How do we break the cycle? How can we work safely to mitigate risk? And what really works? Keeping up with the trends is an imperative formula for the preventative work delivered here and as such is a focus around exploitation through social media and gaming devices .. what, how, who and can we understand this better? 

Dr Matthew McVarish is a Scottish Survivor Activist.  

Walking 10,000miles, he visited every EU capital on foot campaigning for the abolition of the Statute of Limitations on reporting Child Sexual Abuse. His walk encouraged various governments to table parliamentary motions on this abolition and, in some countries, Matthew became the first male survivor ever to speak publicly about having been sexually abused, as his message was broadcast on TV, radio and newspapers in over thirty languages. He was then invited to address the Council of Europe, the United Nations and the Vatican, for a personal audience with Pope Francis. 

In recognition of his achievements, Matthew received the prestigious “Top Scot Award” (previous “Top Scots” include JK Rowling, Sir Chris Hoy and Andy Murray) 

Matthew has now chaired global discussions on children’s rights for the UN and co-created the worlds first Global Survivor Forum with ECPAT International in Bangkok, gathering Survivor Activist from across the world. Today, he is a proud member of the SAGE, Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered,  and the BRAVE Movement, focused on ending childhood sexual violence globally. Their manifesto has already been secured on agenda of the upcoming G7 World Leaders Summit. 

His book, “The truth that no one tells teenagers”, a practical guide to navigating your own recovery for teen survivors of sexual abuse, is now available on Amazon, Kindle and audible.com, and is highly recommended by child-psychologists.

A discussion of the considerations and sensitivities in supporting the 1 in 5 under 18s who suffer sexual abuse.