Update 31 October 2025: Booking for the BSConcern Conference 2025 has now closed.
See here for details of the programme, etc.
Please register and pay here.
We welcome all-comers: ex-boarders who have started to question if their life has been impaired by their boarding experience; family and friends of ex-boarders who wonder the same; parents wrestling with the decision to send their children away; care professionals with an interest in ex-boarder clients; and anyone who is curious about the lasting effects of boarding school. It can be especially useful for partners of ex-boarders, helping them learn about the impact of boarding on their relationship.
We believe that for the majority of people the conference is a stimulating, positive and affirming experience where we can tell our stories, be heard and understood. However, the conference can be challenging, and even distressing, as we face, perhaps for the first time, the full implications of our boarding school experiences. The conference organisers will do their utmost to support attendees who feel overwhelmed or distressed during the day, and colleagues with a background in therapy will be on hand to offer support should you need it. Look out for our brightly coloured badges.
Having moved successfully last year to Friends House opposite Euston Station, we are going there again. With attendance growing, we have secured The Light Auditorium, which gives us a large arena in which we can sit informally around tables (as conference veterans will remember from the past). It has its own entrance off Euston Road, a cloakroom and dedicated staff. The lunch will be an informal hot buffet and there will be plenty of room to circulate and find a seat to eat. We will have six breakout rooms for group work in the afternoon (up from four last year), which will be used for workshops in addition to the usual discussion groups. We are delighted that Piers Cross will be making a special presentation of his powerful documentary Boarding on Insanity followed by a Q&A.
It is no surprise that the extra space and facilities comes at a cost, especially in these inflationary times. Thanks to our generous donors, BSConcern can bear the bulk of the increase, but not all. There will be a modest increase to £105 from £95 last year – and we hope that this will continue to seen as good value.
We are able to give help with the cost of the Conference for those who would find it unaffordable to attend. For those who would welcome the chance to help others receive the benefit they have had from past conferences, there is an opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ by making a donation to help those who, often as a result of their boarding experience, find themselves struggling financially. More details are on the registration form.
See here for details of the programme, etc.
Please register and pay here.
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