As well as preparing a speech on Child to Parent Abuse – as part of a segment focused on inclusive services for ‘hidden’ or minoritised groups, Michelle will be taking part in a live Q&A on the day. She was also interviewed by the Westminster team ahead of the event – you can read the interview in full on LinkedIn. 

Michelle will be speaking alongside Ippo Panteloudakis, Head of Services at Respect, and Pragna Patel, Director at Southall Black Sisters. 

Among the topics will be the impact of Covid-19 – and specifically the pandemic lockdowns – on domestic abuse within different communities; how we can widen access to support and encourage reporting; tailoring services to meet the needs of different groups; and amplifying voices from minoritised or hidden groups.

The rest of the conference will also look at the implications of the recently-passed Domestic Abuse Bill, implementing the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, adapting services in light of Coronavirus including virtual delivery, accessing funding for domestic abuse programmes and projects, and transforming the response to domestic abuse (identifying victims, providing refuge, and co-ordinating a multi-agency response).

Michelle said: “It’s an honour to be asked to contribute to the Domestic Abuse Forum, alongside many of long-standing and incredibly impactful campaigners and DA professionals. It’s great to see our parents being recognised as a ‘hidden’ group – and hopefully my speech will bring CPA out of the shadows for the attendees of the Insight Forum.”

For more information about the conference, visit the Westminster Insight website. And do check back next month for an update on how it all went!