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think outside the book
PLAY SAFE: Safeguarding in Sport & Esports Conference
Date: Friday 15 & Saturday 16 May 2026 l Venue: The British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi
An International Conference on Protecting Children & Young People
PLAY SAFE: Safeguarding in Sport & Esports
An International Conference on Protecting Children & Young People
Safeguarding doesn’t stop at awareness it’s about having the right tools, frameworks, and confidence to act.
PLAY SAFE is a landmark international safeguarding conference delivered by The Safeguarding Alliance, in partnership with TEEMS Global, bringing together global expertise and real-world practice to support safer sport and esports environments.
‘Think outside the book’
Event Details
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Dates: Friday 15 & Saturday 16 May 2026
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Venue: The British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi
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Format: Keynotes, panels, practical workshops & applied learning
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CPD: High-impact CPD from an ADEK Approved Provider
Why Attend PLAY SAFE?
This conference is designed for professionals who want to move beyond theory and into confident, effective safeguarding practice.
By attending, you will gain access to:
✔️ A 360° safeguarding framework covering culture, wellbeing, leadership, systems, and accountability
✔️ Practical resources you can take back to your organisation or school
✔️ Toolkits, templates, and guidance to support policy, reporting, and safer practice
✔️ Case studies and real-life scenarios from sport, education, and esports
✔️ Specialist-led workshops focused on what to do, not just what to know
✔️ Recognised, high-impact professional development (CPD)
Who Is This Conference For?
PLAY SAFE is ideal for professionals committed to protecting children and young people, including:
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Safeguarding Leads & DSLs
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Educators & School Leaders
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Coaches, Referees & PE Teachers
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Business owners and Leadership teams
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Sports Administrators & Club Managers
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Esports Professionals & Programme Leads
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Youth Development & Wellbeing Practitioners
Whether you work in education, sport, or esports, this conference equips you with the tools to act with clarity and confidence.
What Makes PLAY SAFE Different?
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Applied learning, not just presentations
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Cross-sector expertise spanning sport, education, and esports
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Actionable safeguarding frameworks you can implement immediately
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Global best practice grounded in local and regional contexts
This is a conference built for professionals who want to leave better prepared than when they arrived.
Delivered By
The Safeguarding Alliance in partnership with TEEMS Global
Together, delivering credible, practical, and impactful safeguarding education that strengthens systems and protects young people.
Speakers / Workshop Presenters
AP Race
Katie Towner (Director of Operations; swim industry expert with over 20 years’ experience) and Anna Hopkin (Olympic gold medallist and AP Race Ambassador) will contribute to discussions on safeguarding within performance environments. Their sessions will explore athlete welfare, healthy culture in high-performance settings, duty of care, and the practical realities of balancing ambition with protection across youth sport pathways.
Daigon Esports
David Higginson and Elliot Mack (Directors, Daigon Esports) represent a market-leading “learn through play” organisation operating across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Their contribution will focus on safeguarding within digital and esports environments, including online behaviour, digital wellbeing, appropriate boundaries, risk management, and how schools can responsibly integrate esports into their safeguarding frameworks.
The Safeguarding Alliance
Several leading safeguarding practitioners will deliver keynotes, workshops, and applied sessions focused on contemporary safeguarding practice.
Content will address emerging risks, contextual safeguarding, case-based learning, and practical frameworks relevant to professionals working across sport, education, and esports. Sessions are designed to strengthen confidence, decision-making, and organisational safeguarding culture.
TEEMS Global
TEEMS Global will be represented by experienced practitioners working across international education, sport, and experiential learning ecosystems.
Their sessions will focus on safeguarding culture, ethical programme design, leadership responsibility, and the development of systems that embed child-centred practice across partnerships, events, and student-facing provision. Contributions will emphasise practical application, accountability, and sustainable safeguarding models across international contexts.
Conference Schedule
Day 1: Friday 15 May 2026 (Half Day)
Theme: Foundations, Frameworks & Real-World Practice
Time
1:30 – 2:00 pm
2:00 – 2:45 pm
2:45 – 3:30 pm
3:30 – 3:45 pm
3:45 – 4:45 pm
4:45 – 5:15 pm
5:15 – 6:15 pm
6:15 – 6:30 pm
6:30 pm
Workshops may run in parallel streams or as a single-track programme depending on scale.
Day 2: Saturday 16 May 2026 (Full Day)
Theme: Action, Accountability & Embedding Safer Practice
Time
8:30 – 9:00 am
9:00 – 9:45 am
9:45 – 10:00 am
10:00 – 11:00 am
11:00 – 11:15 am
11:15 – 12:00 pm
12:00 – 12:15 pm
12:15 – 1:15 pm
1:15 – 1:45 pm
1:45 – 2:45 pm
2:45 – 3:15 pm
3:15 – 4:15 pm
4:15 – 4:45 pm
4:45 – 5:00 pm
5:00 pm
Session
Registration & Arrival
Opening Keynote
Panel Discussion
Break
Workshop Block 1
Break / Networking
Workshop Block 2
Close & Day 1 Wrap
Finish
Session
Registration & Coffee
Morning Keynote
Transition
Workshop Block 3
Break
Panel Discussion
Transition
Workshop Block 4
Lunch
Workshop Block 5
Break
Workshop Block 6
Closing Session & Reflection
Final Remarks & Close
Finish
Conference Registration Fees:
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Early Bird Offer: sign up before Friday 27th February, and receive 5 hours of free online CPD included in ticket cost (18 hours of high quality CPD for the price of 13 hours
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Standard: 1000AED
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On-Site: 1200AED
Further Great Deals to join us at the conference:
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For Schools/organisations registering 3 or more delegates a 10% discount will be offered across the total charge.
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For BSME Member schools, all delegates will receive a 10% discount
Register Your Interest
Places are limited to ensure quality learning and meaningful engagement.
Register your interest today to receive:
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Early access to tickets
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Programme and speaker announcements
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Workshop stream selections
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Group and school booking options
Because safeguarding isn’t optional, it’s essential.
Our Partners
Safeguarding doesn’t stop at awareness it’s about having the right tools, frameworks, and confidence to act.