MetroPolis

Our latest MetroPolis newsletter is out now 📩 Explore how Manchester Met researchers are shaping national policy, from ethical AI and local economies to health and wellbeing. https://lnkd.in/eut8_Vgn

Professor advises House of Lords on how to protect victims of domestic abuse Prof. Michelle McManus invited to give oral evidence to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Committee https://lnkd.in/eYcwJN3K

🚨 Final Spaces Remaining | Reimagining Community Sport | 29 April 2026 We’re now 70% full with only 30 places left for this event 👇 Reimagining Community Sport for Children and Young People 📍 Institute of Sport, Manchester Metropolitan University 📅 Wednesday 29 April, 9am - 1pm If you’re interested in how we can reshape the future of community sport to better support children and young people, this is one to be in the room for. Expect: ✔️ Leading insights from across research, policy, and practice ✔️ Interactive, solution-focused discussions ✔️ Real opportunities to influence future directions ✔️ High-quality networking with sector leaders This event is bringing together people who are serious about driving change across sport, education, health, and community settings. ⏳ Only 30 tickets remaining – once they’re gone, they’re gone 🎟️ Secure your place now: https://lnkd.in/eGN9xPUT The Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport MetroPolis Laura Hickman-Sparkes Ben Ives Prof. Michelle McManus Ramon Spaaij Tim Cable #SportForDevelopment #CommunitySport #ChildrenAndYoungPeople #Coaching #Policy #ManchesterMet #ChildrensFutures

Great conference today organised by North West Employers. I attended with my colleague Sarah Crozier who was fantastic on the panel discussing good work and people management. I particularly enjoyed the discussions throughout the day on leadership in times of crisis, as well as creating healthy workplaces and communities. It was also a great opportunity to showcase and discuss some of the research being conducted by colleagues from the Centre for Decent Work and Productivity including work by Carol Atkinson Julia Rouse Dr Krystal WilkinsonKaty Jones FIEP Sarah Crozier on topics such as line management development, quality of working life in care, women's health at work and what good work looks like A really inspiring and insightful day all round.

Congratulations to Prof. Michelle McManus on her recent appointment to the UK House of Lords Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Committee ! This news comes in addition to the recent publication of two government‑commissioned reports by Michelle on county lines and safeguarding children, which you can read more about here: https://lnkd.in/e3h5e2qf

Yesterday, Manchester Met researchers led by Professor Deborah James joined colleagues from across the youth mental health sector to meet with Baroness Gillian Merron, Minister for Women’s Health and Mental Health, and Dr Simon Opher MP, Chair of the APPG for Health. Together, we shared our latest research and on‑the‑ground insights into the growing mental health crisis faced by young people and highlighted the need for community‑driven, family‑centred, strengths‑based approaches to prevention. It was a hugely valuable conversation with policymakers committed to making real change. We are proud to see Manchester Met research shaping national dialogue on young people’s mental health- thank you to Policy Connect for convening this meeting!

Today two Government commissioned reports led by research colleagues in our Institute for Children’s Futures were published, providing fresh insight into how safeguarding systems can better respond to child exploitation and abuse. A Department for Education commissioned study into child sexual abuse and exploitation shows that existing recording systems can focus on fixed categories that could potentially obscure exploitation, which often unfolds over time and across multiple contexts. The study showed this can result in exploitation being absorbed into broader categories of harm such as neglect or emotional abuse, limiting its visibility. A second study, jointly commissioned by the Home Office and the Department for Education, highlights the need for safeguarding responses that move beyond ‘siloed’ approaches, recognising exploitation as a contextual and relational form of harm that takes place across peer groups, communities and online environments, not just within individual cases or family settings. Michelle McManus, our Professor in Safeguarding and Violence Prevention and Director of our ICF, said: “Practitioners are doing significant and often complex safeguarding work, but current systems are not designed to capture that reality. “If we want to improve how we protect children, we need systems that reflect how harm actually presents - over time, across relationships and in different contexts.” These reports reflect our growing national and international leadership in safeguarding research. Earlier this month, Prof McManus was invited to give oral evidence to the House of Lords Domestic Abuse 2021 Committee and we’re proud to share that she has now been appointed as its Special Adviser. 🔗 Read more https://bit.ly/41nR6RZ

Today two Government commissioned reports led by research colleagues in our Institute for Children’s Futures were published, providing fresh insight into how safeguarding systems can better respond to child exploitation and abuse. A Department for Education commissioned study into child sexual abuse and exploitation shows that existing recording systems can focus on fixed categories that could potentially obscure exploitation, which often unfolds over time and across multiple contexts. The study showed this can result in exploitation being absorbed into broader categories of harm such as neglect or emotional abuse, limiting its visibility. A second study, jointly commissioned by the Home Office and the Department for Education, highlights the need for safeguarding responses that move beyond ‘siloed’ approaches, recognising exploitation as a contextual and relational form of harm that takes place across peer groups, communities and online environments, not just within individual cases or family settings. Michelle McManus, our Professor in Safeguarding and Violence Prevention and Director of our ICF, said: “Practitioners are doing significant and often complex safeguarding work, but current systems are not designed to capture that reality. “If we want to improve how we protect children, we need systems that reflect how harm actually presents - over time, across relationships and in different contexts.” These reports reflect our growing national and international leadership in safeguarding research. Earlier this month, Prof McManus was invited to give oral evidence to the House of Lords Domestic Abuse 2021 Committee and we’re proud to share that she has now been appointed as its Special Adviser. 🔗 Read more https://bit.ly/41nR6RZ

It was good to attend the latest meeting of the #HighStreetSectorLeaders today which is a legacy of the #HighStreetTaskForce, particularly following the Government’s announcement of a £301 million commitment to High Street Innovation Partnerships over the weekend (https://lnkd.in/eMd3JZpZ). This represents a significant investment to support places to reimagine and revive high streets, and to ensure they are fit for the future. It is always encouraging to see such strong representation from across the sector, including Association of Town & City Management, ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) British BIDs, the British Retail Consortium Bira - British Independent Retailers Association Retail Trust The Booksellers Association Libraries Connected Local Government Association UK HOSPITALITY LTD Night Time Industries Association The Gym Group and others including Government officials, reflecting the continued appetite to work collaboratively. We also heard the latest update from MHCLG on the emerging High Streets Strategy. There is a clear recognition of the importance of high streets as economic drivers, alongside a growing acknowledgement that many places are already evolving and adapting - despite some of the more negative media narratives we hear. I am sure HighStreetPositives will agree! Alongside this, we received a briefing from the BRC on the #2026RetailCrimeSurvey, reinforcing that crime and safety remain critical issues for retailers, and from the Retail Trust on the #LetsRespectRetail campaign, highlighting the importance of improving conditions for those working on the front line of our high streets. The talk from the Retail Trust on what they are doing was powerful so I sharing a link here for others to learn more about there work: https://lnkd.in/eksZq5BM While perspectives may differ, there is a shared commitment to collaboration. That willingness to work together across sectors is critical if we are serious about making our high streets better for the future, with a broader mix of uses - including public services, housing, and new models of governance -needed to support long-term sustainability and delivery.