HelenHoganSafeguardingmatters OUR TEAM

Safeguarding Consultant & Business Director  

Helen Hogan is the Business Director and lead Safeguarding Consultant at Helen Hogan Safeguarding Matters, a company that empowers designated safeguarding leads and all adults working with children across education sectors. She brings 23 years of experience in children’s social care and is both a qualified teacher (QTS) and a registered social worker. Helen holds master’s degrees in social care and in business from Durham University, reflecting her blend of practice‑based and leadership expertise.

Helen began her career as a teacher in 2002 and retrained as a social worker in 2006 linkedin.com. She spent several years in front‑door child‑protection services, where she developed a deep understanding of safeguarding practice. In 2015 she joined the Education Safeguarding Team at Sunderland Local Authority and later partnered with Pam Gartland at Safeguarding First. Over this period, she honed her skills in professional supervision, quality assurance and staff training.

In 2025 Helen established Helen Hogan Safeguarding Matters. The company’s mission is to ‘provide expert consultation services tailored to the needs of educational establishments, empowering education providers to implement effective safeguarding measures and protect children’ hhsafeguardingmatters.com. It emphasises raising safeguarding standards through clear policies, reflective training and resources that help staff identify and address concerns. Helen ensures that every training package can be customised to the client’s needs, and she offers various support options so schools can choose what best suits them.

Current services and approach

• Whole‑workforce      safeguarding training – Helen designs and delivers training for schools      and settings across the Northeast of England. Her sessions cover child      protection, legislative updates and best practice.
• Quality      assurance and consultancy – Helen conducts safeguarding audits and      produces summary reports with RAG‑rated action plans.
• Safeguarding      supervision – Helen provides one‑to‑one or group supervision sessions to      help staff reflect on practice and manage complex cases.
• Designated      Safeguarding Lead (DSL) programmes – Helen offers training for both new      and experienced DSLs, ensuring they meet the requirements of Keeping      Children Safe in Education.
• Resources      and guidance – Helen supplies policies, tools and templates and offers a      helpline for advice. Her organisation stresses that a strong      safeguarding culture boosts emotional well‑being, fosters inclusivity      and helps children develop decision‑making skills.

Helen’s professional passion is supporting vulnerable children through high‑quality safeguarding practice. She excels at mentoring staff and facilitating training and development and has a particular focus on professional supervision, helping staff build effective relationships with children and families. Beyond her professional life, Helen enjoys reading—especially period dramas—as well as walking, exercise and softball cricket. She is also a proud Sunderland supporter and parent of two sports‑loving children.

Helen Hogan’s combination of frontline experience, academic study and training expertise makes her a trusted partner for schools and organisations seeking to strengthen safeguarding culture.  

 Business Manager

Lorraine Johnson is the Business Manager at Helen Hogan Safeguarding Matters, a leading safeguarding consultancy and training provider supporting schools and organisations working with children. With over 30 years of experience in customer-facing roles and business administration, Lorraine brings a wealth of organisational expertise and client care to the team.

Her career includes more than a decade working within the safeguarding sector, giving her an in-depth understanding of the operational needs of education and care settings. In her current role, Lorraine oversees the smooth day-to-day running of the business, managing training logistics, coordinating customer engagements, and serving as the principal point of contact for all enquiries.

Lorraine’s dedication ensures that clients receive a professional, responsive, and high-quality service at every stage of their safeguarding journey.

Business administrator.

Kay Stone is the Business Administrator at Helen Hogan Safeguarding Matters, bringing over 42 years of customer-focused administration expertise. Her career has spanned a variety of roles requiring precision, professionalism, and excellent client care.

Before joining Helen Hogan Safeguarding Matters, Kay worked within a Local Authority setting, where she developed extensive skills in Education Safeguarding, Training, HR, Recruitment, and PA support.

In her current role, Kay plays a key part in the smooth operation of the business, supporting training coordination, managing client administration, and ensuring all processes run efficiently. Her wealth of experience and sector knowledge ensures clients receive a professional and seamless service.