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When we began thinking about how best to honour the work and legacy of Peter Smith, one thing felt immediately clear to us at the Anti-Bullying Alliance.
Peter never believed research should sit quietly on shelves.
He believed research should help teachers make decisions. He believed it should amplify young people’s voices. And he believed it should shape policy in ways that genuinely improve children’s lives.
That is why we have launched the Peter Smith webinar series – a new annual programme of events bringing together researchers, practitioners, and the wider anti-bullying community to explore what the latest evidence tells us, and what we can do with it in practice.
These sessions are designed to continue something Peter did throughout his career: making complex ideas understandable, relevant, and usable.
Why this series matters
Peter worked with the Anti-Bullying Alliance for many years. He supported our programmes, evaluated our work, helped shape our strategy, and generously shared his expertise with colleagues across the sector.
He also led our Focus On Bullying annual research round-ups for many years, helping practitioners stay connected to the latest developments in bullying research across the UK and internationally.
This new webinar series builds on that tradition.
Each year we will focus on a small number of themes where research is developing, where questions remain unanswered, or where practitioners tell us they need stronger guidance.
Most importantly, the sessions are not just about presenting evidence. They are about asking:
- What does this mean for practice?
- What should change next?
- How can we work together to improve outcomes for children and young people?
This year’s webinars
We are beginning the series with two important and timely topics.
Appearance targeted bullying
Monday 11 May 2026, 2pm to 4pm
We are hearing more and more from schools and young people about bullying linked to body image, identity, and visible difference. This session explores what research tells us about appearance targeted bullying and what schools and services can do to respond effectively. We’re very pleased to be having Professor Heather Widdows speaking at this event from Warwick University.
Sign up for your free ticket here
Sexist bullying
Tuesday 9 June 2026, 10.30am to 12.30pm
Young people themselves have played a leading role in raising awareness of sexist bullying in recent years. This session looks at what the evidence shows about how sexist bullying develops, its impact, and how we can prevent it. We’re very pleased to have Dr Niamh O’brien from University of Anglia & John Khan from Priority 1-54 speaking at this event.
Sign up for your free ticket here
Hear Peter in his own words
One of the things many of us remember most about Peter was the clarity and generosity with which he explained research.
If you would like to hear that directly, I really recommend listening to this conversation between Peter and Claire Monks from the University of Greenwich. It’s a wonderful example of how he brought evidence to life and made it accessible to everyone working with children and young people.
Listen to the full podcast here
Looking ahead
This series is not a one-off initiative.
The Anti-Bullying Alliance is committed to running these webinars each year so that we can continue building connections between research, practice, policy, and youth voice – just as Peter did throughout his career.
We hope they become a space where people across the anti-bullying community can come together to learn, reflect, and take action.
It feels like a fitting way to continue Peter’s legacy. And I very much hope he would have been pleased to see the conversations we are starting through these events.
If you work with children and young people, develop policy, support schools, or are simply interested in strengthening responses to bullying, we would love you to join us.
By Martha Boateng, Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance