Our headline speaker for the CPA Conference this October really is an expert when it comes to Child to Parent Abuse. Dr Amanda Holt has been researching themes relating to CPA for nearly 20 years, and even wrote the UK’s very first book on the topic! This was followed by an edited collection which focused on how to support families experiencing CPA.

A Professor of Criminology at the University of Roehampton in London, Dr Holt has been involved with PEGS for a number of years and sits on our Advisory Board, as well as being a member of the Risk of Harm committee for Family Lives.

Dr Holt recently completed a project funded by the Mayor of London which looked specifically at CPA in London where the child was of adolescent age.

Her headline speaker slot at the conference will focus on Child to Parent Abuse in Neurodivergent Contexts.

She will share with audiences the findings of her recently completed project about CPA in relation to neurodivergent children and young people. This took the form of interviews with 15 mothers from across the UK whose child or children have a diagnosis of autism, AH(H)D and/or FASD and are also displaying CPA behaviours.

As part of the research, Dr Holt explored their experiences of CPA and how the context of neurodivergence had shaped these experiences. She will also cover an overview of what parents and carers had shared with her had been helpful in terms of the support they had received.

Everyone attending the conference will also have an opportunity to take part in a Q&A at the end of Dr Holt’s session, where they’ll be able to ask her any questions about her important research.

We cannot wait to hear Dr Holt speak as we know it will provide a fascinating insight into the lives of families who are experiencing CPA and also have neurodivergent children – something professionals attending are sure to find valuable in their working life going forward.

If you’ve not yet purchased your ticket, you can do so by heading to www.pegsevents.co.uk. The conference is a virtual event which takes place on Monday 14^th October; please note, there are discounted tickets available for attendees from charities and not-for-profit organisations, and the ticket also includes access to a wealth of information on a specially-created resources platform.