The Safeguarding Academy

Specialist training courses: 2025-26

Understanding Sex Offenders: Foundation Course in Behavioural Analysis

This course explores the psychology of child sex offenders and provides participants with a practical framework for recognising and correctly interpreting offender behaviour.

This is a course for safeguarding and allied professionals. Participants should be aware that the course content involves extensive and detailed accounts of child sexual abuse and explicit language. More details about course content and objectives can be found here.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Refreshments and lunch are provided.

Please note: the 'Specialist Interview Course' (below) combines this course and the 'Interviewing Sex Offenders' course (11 - 13th February 2026) into a five day training package.

9 - 10th February 2026 | British Psychological Society, London | 2-days | £200

Interviewing Sex Offenders

This course provides a methodology for developing and implementing effective interview strategies with child sexual abuse perpetrators and those about whom there are concerns.

This is a course for safeguarding and allied professionals. Participants should be aware that the course content involves extensive and detailed accounts of child sexual abuse and explicit language. More details about course content and objectives can be found here.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Refreshments and lunch are provided.

Please note: the 'Specialist Interview Course' (below) combines this course and the ''Understanding Sex Offenders: Foundation Course in Behavioural Analysis' course (9 - 10th February 2026) into a five day training package.

11 - 13th February 2026 | British Psychological Society, London | 3-days | £300

Specialist Interview Course

This five-day course combines two critical courses – Understanding sex offenders: Foundation in behavioural analysis and Interviewing Sex Offenders – to provide a comprehensive insight into understanding the behaviour of perpetrators of sexual crimes against children.

This is a course for safeguarding and allied professionals. Participants should be aware that the course content involves extensive and detailed accounts of child sexual abuse and explicit language. More details about course content and objectives can be found here.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Refreshments and lunch are provided.

9 - 13th February 2026 | British Psychological Society, London | 5-days | £500

‘Just looking?’: Evaluating Risk in Online Behaviour

Explore key issues, including whether possessing indecent images of children indicates a risk of contact offending and the similarities between online and offline offending. Child sexual exploitation can occur in varying forms and front line professionals increasingly need to understand how technology can be used. Whilst the course deals with issues around technology, participants do not need advanced technological knowledge.

This is a course for safeguarding and allied professionals. Participants should be aware that the course content involves extensive and detailed accounts of child sexual abuse and explicit language. More details about course content and objectives can be found here.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Refreshments and lunch are provided.

10 - 11th March 2026 | British Psychological Society, London | 2-days | £200

Young People Experiencing & Exhibiting Problematic Sexual Behaviour

The course is designed to enable participants to feel more confident in dealing with the fast-evolving world of child sexual exploitation and in how to work with children who have a complexity of needs relating to Problematic Sexual Behaviour. It is essential for all those who work with young people or care for them as well as those who have a safeguarding responsibility, and want to develop a culture of safety within their organisation.

This is a course for safeguarding and allied professionals. Participants should be aware that the course content involves extensive and detailed accounts of child sexual abuse and explicit language. More details about course content and objectives can be found here.

Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Refreshments and lunch are provided.

12 -13th March 2026 | British Psychological Society, London | 2-days | £200

about dr joe sullivan

Dr Sullivan is a Registered Forensic Psychologist, holding a PhD in Forensic Psychology, a Masters Degree in Criminology, a Diploma in Psychology, a Degree in applied Social Sciences, and a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work. Dr Sullivan is an honorary lecturer in Forensic Psychology at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Dr Sullivan has worked with police officers, social workers, probation officers, faith groups and educationalists to provide insights into the motivations, thoughts and behaviours of child sex offenders. He undertakes assessments for Social Service Departments, Probation, Churches and Education bodies and is an expert witness in the criminal, civil and family courts.

Dr Sullivan has worked extensively in law enforcement, assisting police forces with investigations into the sexually motivated abduction, murder and assault of children. Dr Sullivan was the Chief Forensic Psychologist in the Behaviour Analysis Unit at CEOP, receiving a Chief Constable's Commendation for his contribution to the investigation of the sexually motivated abduction and murder of a child in 2001.

Dr Sullivan has also undertaken assessment and therapeutic intervention work with women who sexually abuse children and adults accused or suspected of professional sexual misconduct. Part of his work also includes the assessment and treatment of adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

Dr Sullivan has published and presented papers to national and international conferences on the techniques he uses for engaging, assessing and interviewing sexual offenders.

Currently available courses and events can be found here