Leila Holmyard
Email: leilaholmyard@gmail.com
Area of expertise provided as part of the CIS Affiliated Consultant Network:
- Student Wellbeing: Protection, Safety & Security
With extensive professional experience in safeguarding and child protection, Leila serves as a safeguarding consultant and trainer for international schools and organisations, including the Council of International Schools, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, United World Colleges, and Faria Education Group. Her work has taken her to international schools in countries around the world including Germany, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Israel, Belgium, Singapore, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Leila holds a PhD from the University of Bath. Her research addresses critical knowledge and practice gaps regarding child protection and safeguarding in international school contexts. She examines the challenges of undertaking safeguarding and child protection work in international schools located in diverse legal and cultural settings, and emphasises the importance of context-specific approaches, student voice and engagement, and investment in training, staffing and community relationships.
She is actively involved in volunteer efforts with the International Taskforce on Child Protection, and has served as a committee chair since 2023, guiding the development of resources on student engagement in safeguarding, data and record keeping, consultant screening, and managing adult conduct concerns.