This Annual NOTA Scotland Conference is a 2 day event, with the first day focusing on Adult Support and the second day focusing on Children and Young People. This conference is an exciting mixture of keynote presentations, interactive workshops and insightful panel discussions.
Call For Papers
We invite submissions of abstracts using the document below for research papers and for workshops. The Deadline for submissions is 18th July 2025
Draft Timetable
9.00am – arrival and registration.
9.30am – welcome from NOTA Scotland Chair.
9.35am – Chair of the day to open conference and introduce keynote and running order of the day.
9.45am – 11.00am Keynote with time for Q&A
11.00am – 11.15am break.
11.15am – 12.15 noon workshop options.
12.15 noon – 1.15pm lunch.
1.15pm – 2.15pm workshop options.
2.15pm – 2.30pm break.
2.30pm – 4.00pm Panel presentation (1 hour) and Q&A’s (30 mins).
Professor Simon Hackett, PhD, AcSS
Simon holds the position of Professor of Child Abuse and Neglect in the Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse at Durham University, United Kingdom.
With over three decades of experience in the field, Simon has conducted extensive research and authored numerous publications on harmful sexual behaviors in childhood. He is the primary author of the NSPCC’s operational framework for responding to children exhibiting harmful sexual behaviors and a co-author of the widely utilized AIM3 assessment model. Recent reports on this subject include expert reviews for the UK’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and a 2024 evidence review that has informed the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Violence against Children. Additionally, Simon contributed significantly to the 2016 UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines on Harmful Sexual Behaviour, representing the UK’s inaugural public health guidance on sexual abuse perpetrated by children and young people.
Simon actively participates in various professional associations dedicated to preventing and responding to child sexual abuse. He is Board Member and President Elect of ATSA, the Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse. He is past Chairperson of the National Organization for the Treatment of Abuse. In the UK, he is a member of the Advisory Board of the national Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse.
Geoff Tordzro-Taylor, CPsychol, AFBPsS
I’ve worked in care, mental health and prison settings and qualified as a Chartered Psychologist and Registered Forensic Psychologist in 2019.
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Since joining the RMA in 2017 I have worked on developing and delivering training, standards and guidelines, overseeing our OLR functions, and supporting agencies with risk assessment and management. In my current role as Head of Research & Development I have strategic responsibility for research, development and evaluation functions. In this role I’ve overseen the publication of research in relation to the offending behaviour of individuals subject to the OLR, the evidence base relating to pre-trial risk assessment, assessment of indecent images of children offences, and assessment and management of violent extremism. Current projects include psychopathy and personality disorder in those subject to the OLR as well as a wider exploration of the responsivity needs of the same group. I also host a recently launched RMA podcast called ‘A Wee Chat About Justice’ which discusses themes in forensic psychology, social work and the justice system.
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I enjoy translating current thinking around risk assessment, formulation and management into research projects, approaches to assessment, and education and training initiatives. This has more recently started to include exploring the benefits and potential drawbacks around the use of AI in a justice context.