Railway Children’s safeguarding messaging reached around 3,000 rail professionals through the first ever UK Rail conference.
Author: Lucy Carman | Date: 18th March 2026
UK Rail is a brand-new flagship two-day exhibition and conference for the rail industry, bringing together all those who work in and around UK rail to connect, share ideas and showcase innovation.
For its inaugural year, around 3,000 members of the UK rail community attended – including rail operators, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, innovators and – for the first time this year – representatives and young people from Railway Children.
CEO, Rob Capener delivered a powerful keynote speech to delegates, telling the story of Jason* who, at rock bottom, had travelled to a train station intending to end his life.
Thankfully, a member of staff at the station had recently attended Railway Children’s Safeguarding Champions Training. They could see something was wrong and, crucially, knew how to help Jason.
Jason was referred, by British Transport Police, to Railway Children and, following intensive, one-to-one support, is today safe, happy and employed as a train despatcher – enabling him to look out for young people who are vulnerable, just as he once was.
Rob’s speech was followed by practical workshops and seminars led by Railway Children staff.
And two of Railway Children’s youth ambassadors shared their lived experience of vulnerability on rail – helping bring a strong personal perspective to conference delegates.
“Having our Youth Ambassadors there made a real difference, bringing young people’s voices into the conversation and helping rail professionals better understand their experiences.”
Throughout the event, Railway Children worked alongside rail partners highlight the role the industry can play in protecting young people.
Conference activity included:
Alongside the formal presentations and workshops, hundreds of delegates took the time to visit the Railway Children stand to discover more about the work of the charity and explore the part they can play in keeping young people safe.
UK Rail 2026 demonstrated what is possible when the rail industry comes together with a shared commitment to safeguarding.
A huge thank you to Terrapinn for organising the conference, and to everyone who took the time to stop by the Railway Children stand and find out more about our work.
In a recent report, more than 40% of people said they wouldn’t know what to do if they spotted a child at risk at a train station. * That’s a statistic that Railway Children’s new interactive game, Seconds to Safety, is here to change.
From 18 – 22 May 2026, 14 police officers serving under the Gender and Children’s Desk in Mwanza successfully completed a five-day specialist training on child sexual abuse interviewing and crime scene forensics, delivered through a partnership between Railway Children Africa (RCA) and the College of Policing.
In her first nine months, Nicki Mackin has helped safeguard dozens of young people and worked with rail staff, retailers and the public to improve awareness of vulnerability across the station.
Learn about safeguarding and how it relates to child protection on transport networks.
No child wants to survive on the streets. And, through understanding and empowerment, together, we can ensure no child has to.
Julia, 24, grew up as a boy but knew, early on, that the gender she’d been born into was not who she was. Here, she talks to Youth Platform about her journey, and what she wishes she’d know as a ten-year-old boy.
