Speakers
Craig Evans
Craig Evans is a researcher on the Developing Resistance Against Grooming Online (DRAGON-S) applied research project. Craig’s research to date has focused on using discourse analysis and corpus linguistics to investigate how language is used in a variety of contexts, including online grooming and health and social care. He completed his PhD in 2021 on NHS staff replies to patient feedback at Lancaster University, where he was a member of the Corpus Approaches to Social Science (CASS) research centre. He has published work on online grooming discourse, the language of patient feedback and care leaver identity.
Ruth Mullineux-Morgan
Ruth Mullineux-Morgan is Deputy Lead (Shield) and Research Associate to the Developing Resistance Against Grooming Online (DRAGON-S) research project, Co-Lead of the C2Chat Research Project, and Participation Lead on a new project for global hotline and helpline analysts (DRAGON+). Ruth is co-author of Online Child Sexual Grooming Discourse part of the Cambridge Elements series. Ruth is finalising her PhD on Children's Communication in Online Grooming Interactions. Ruth is also a Policy and Public Affairs Professional with over 15 years expertise in advising in the political and children's charity sector in Wales.
Title: Project DRAGON-Shield: From Evaluation to Roll Out
DRAGON-Shield, a Swansea University Project funded by the End Violence Against Children Safe Online Fund is an interactive multi-media portal. Through 8 modules the training relays specialist knowledge to child safeguarding practitioners about groomer <-> child communicative behaviour during online grooming. The tool strengthens a child safeguarding practitioners' ability to prevent children from being sexually groomed online and support those who have experienced harm. This workshop will present the findings of our pilot and evaluation conducted in January to June 2023 across 4 countries and offer a demo and opportunity to engage with aspects of the training. It will also provide an update on next steps and plans for access to and roll out of the training.