The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 12 August 2025 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Lauren Baerecke & Dr Shallen Lusinga.

About the Seminar:

Strengthening Parenting Programmes for Preventing Technology-Facilitated Child Sexual Abuse: Insights from Evidence, Stakeholders and Families

The growing presence of technology in children's lives has brought with it an increase in exposure to technology-facilitated risks and harms. However, few evidence-based interventions exist to support parents and caregivers respond to technology-facilitated child exploitation and abuse.

This presentation shares findings from a multi-method study that follows three key stages: (1) a rapid evidence synthesis guided by the PRISMA criteria; (2) stakeholder consultations with over 50 experts across multiple sectors, including UN agencies, NGOs, academia, management, M&E, and violence prevention work. Her focus is on the implementation of survivor-led organisations; and (3) co-design workshops with caregivers and adolescents South Africa.

The presentation will explore what the evidence, stakeholder insights, and lived experiences of families reveal about the support parents truly need — what's missing, and how to design more relevant and responsive interventions for parenting in a digital age. We'll share emerging principles and importantly, we'll look at how parenting support fits into a broader system of policies, platforms, and services that share responsibility for keeping children safe online.

Speakers

Lauren Baerecke is a researcher and evaluator with 10+ years experience in research project management, M&E, and violence prevention work. Her focus is on the implementation of programmes in real-world, low-resource settings. She is pursuing a PhD - powered by strong coffee and a passion for tech-enabled approaches to driving sustainable, evidence-based change.

Dr Shallen Lusinga is a researcher with a PhD in Information Systems from UCT. Her work focuses on cybersecurity, digital safety, and the design of technology-enabled interventions to protect children online. She has led regional and international collaborations and is committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-based approaches to digital resilience, online safety, and the responsible use of technology in vulnerable contexts.

 12 August 2025
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa