This session provides practical guidance on safeguarding and consent when working with children and young people. It offers a clear, applied overview of Gillick competence and the Fraser guidelines, with a focus on how these principles should be used in everyday practice. The session will explore how to recognise subtle cues of coercion, exploitation, and undue influence that may compromise valid consent. It will also highlight the role of effective documentation in supporting safe, lawful, and defensible decision-making. Case-based examples will be used throughout to build confidence in managing real-world consent and safeguarding scenarios.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Apply the principles of Gillick competence and Fraser guidelines confidently in practice
• Identify verbal, behavioural, and contextual cues of coercion or undue influence that may invalidate consent
• Make proportionate safeguarding decisions when concerns are identified
• Document consent and safeguarding assessments clearly, lawfully, and defensibly
• Increase confidence in managing complex consent scenarios involving children and young people