Excellence in Global Online Protection Awards Founder Simon Bailey explains:

“I have spent years working in this area, and have watched as the scale and threat of this crime continues to grow. Every year I see more and more children becoming victims and the impact it has on their lives.

There are some children who will never fully recover from the trauma of the abuse they have suffered. I have created these awards to recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations who every day are doing their very best to protect children from harm.

These are dedicated individuals and organisations, without whom the problem would be even worse, and they deserve to be recognised, their achievements celebrated and publicly acknowledged.

It has been an honour and a privilege to recognise them in this way since we launched in 2024. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the extraordinary work that is being done to keep children safe online. If you know of a person or an organisation who are making a real difference  please nominate them and help us celebrate their efforts.“

Jahine Davis

Jahnine is the Co-founder and director of Listen Up: An organisation established to amplify the voices and experiences of racialised children. She is a care-experienced professional who started her career in children’s rights and participation and has over 20 years practice experience working in both charity and statutory sectors. Jahnine is the UK’s foremost researcher and thought leader in adultification bias in child protection and safeguarding. A specialist in the safeguarding of Black children, Jahnine’s PhD research explores safeguarding responses to Black children when harm is outside of the home. Jahnine was appointed to the Child Safeguarding Review Panel November 2021 for a period of 4 years, she is also the appointed safeguarding lead for the BBC's independent review into Tim Westwood.

Asha Odedra MBE

Asha is an experienced civil servant having worked in central government departments for 16 years, specialising in the criminal justice response to violence against women and girls. Asha also supported the work of the national, and independent, Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel as joint head of their secretariat team. Asha was awarded an MBE in 2016 for services to law and order.

"I am delighted to be returning as a judge for the Excellence in Global Online Protection Awards 2026. Each year, the submissions serve as a reminder of both the scale of the challenges faced online, as well as the extraordinary commitment and innovation of those working to address them.

I am really looking forward to reading this year’s nominations and, once again, celebrating the individuals, teams and organisations who are leading the way in making our digital world safer for all.

If you know of a person or project that deserves recognition, I strongly encourage you to submit a nomination so that we can shine a light on this vital work."

Ian Critchley QPM

Ian has 33 years policing experience working in Lancashire and then for 7 years in Merseyside ,the last 2 of which as the Deputy Chief Constable (DCC). Since his retirement as an officer  Ian has been  working for the College of Policing and sits on the National Safeguarding Panel .

Ian was Head of Public Protection in Lancashire for four years and sat as an executive member on three Safeguarding Boards.  He has extensive command experience leading investigations into Homicide, Child Sexual Abuse and significant critical firearms incidents in Merseyside.  He was  the National Policing Lead for Child Protection for three years which included  chairing the National Pursue Online Board with the NCA and partners  and providing strategic leadership for the National  CSE taskforce . He has given evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, The Education Select Committee IICSA and a number of parliamentary Inquiries in relation to Child Protection and Safeguarding .

Following retirement as a serving officer, he is now working with the College of Policing and partners and has led the design and implementation of  the first National Centre for tackling  VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP).  He is also leading a National project for the identification and targeting of High Harm Perpetrators of VAWG . Ian sits as  a member of the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel and has recently led on the revised Practice Guidance and a thematic review of the impact of neglect. Ian is also a Chair of Police Misconduct Panels.

"I am delighted once again to be part of the judging panel for these prestigious awards. Seeing the dedicated professional and innovative work of individuals and teams across the globe to tackle the online threat facing children is hugely humbling. It is important that this work is recognised by these awards which should motivate and spur us all on to make the online community a safer place for everyone. That must be our ambition."