Safeguarding Month: Learning from Maya’s Story

The Gateshead Safeguarding Partnership is privileged to welcome members of Maya Chappell’s family to share their experiences directly with us as part of Safeguarding Month 2026. This powerful keynote speech offers a unique opportunity to not only hear about Maya’s life and legacy, but also about the realities of navigating the safeguarding system from a family’s perspective.

Through their deeply personal account, Maya’s family remind us that every assessment, referral, meeting and decision affects the lives of real children and families.

This keynote is more than a learning opportunity. It is a chance to listen, reflect and challenge ourselves as safeguarding partners. It invites us to consider not just what happened to Maya, but what her story can teach us about the difference we can make when we are professionally curious, collaborative, and focused on keeping the child’s lived experience at the centre of our practice.

Find out more about Maya’s Law here.