Step Inside a Secure Children’s Home – An Immersive Experience

Monday 15th December 2025

10:00 - 12:30 Group 1

12:30 - 13:30 Complimentary Networking Lunch for both groups

13:30 - 16:00 Group 2

We are delighted to invite you to a unique and thought-provoking research event that offers unprecedented access to life inside a secure children’s home. Using 360° video recordings and still photography, participants will have the opportunity to virtually step inside an institution that is usually closed to the public.

This immersive experience challenges misconceptions about secure children’s homes and opens meaningful conversations about how society responds to children who are considered at risk or risk’.

A research event with impact

This event is part of an ongoing research project exploring how immersive technologies can shape public understanding of secure care. We are particularly interested in understanding how experiencing this virtual environment may affect people’s perceptions of secure children’s homes and the children who reside within them.

As part of the event, you may be invited to participate in brief research activities, such as completing a brief survey or sharing your reflections in a discussion. Participation in these activities is entirely voluntary, and all responses will be anonymised. By contributing, you will help us build necessary evidence on how public perceptions of secure care can be shifted.

Why attend?

• Experience an unprecedented virtual exploration of a secure children’s home.

• Contribute to new research on public perceptions of secure care and young people’s rights.

• Discover how immersive technologies can enhance participatory research and engagement.

• Join conversations about young people’s wellbeing and societal responses to vulnerability and risk.

Why should social workers and professionals in social care attend?

• Deepen your understanding of the environments where some of the most vulnerable children live and are cared for

• Enhance your practice knowledge by exploring how residential childcare and secure care settings operate in real life.

• Reflect on the ethical, legal, and practical issues around the deprivation of liberty for children.

• Engage with cutting-edge participatory research methods that can inform and strengthen social work practice.

• Network with colleagues, researchers, and professionals from related fields, and contribute your expertise to the discussion

Accessibility and inclusivity

The event will be delivered using individual VR headsets or a 2D tour on a computer screen, allowing us to adapt to different mobility and sensory needs. Both options are fully accessible, and we welcome participants who may not usually engage with university events.

For further information on this event, please contact [email protected]

Bournemouth University’s Online Event Terms and Conditions

Photos may be taken at the event. If you do not want to appear in any photos, please notify a member of staff at the event. For further information on the use of photos and videos, please refer to our privacy policy

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Host or Publisher Bournemouth University