Revisions to 'Keeping Children Safe in Education', DfE (Guidance from 1 September 2026: For Information Only)

Section 3 of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework should be read alongside Keeping Children Safe in Education where children aged 0 to 5 attend school-based nurseries or reception classes.

Added a section regarding the use of "nudes and semi-nudes" throughout KCSIE with an explainer.

Updated terminology to include "universal services and community-based early help" and "the targeted early help level of Family Help."

Replaced "indecent", "nude, semi-nude" and "also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery" with "making or sharing of nudes or semi-nudes".

Updated the definition of "assault by penetration."

Updated the definition of "sexual assault."

Added further references to "misogyny."

Retitled "Child-on-child abuse" to "Child-on-child abuse (including harassment and violence)."

Safeguarding information for all staff

Addition of one page overview for staff.

This is intended to complement, not replace any part of the full guidance.

All staff should read Part one in its entirety as Annex A has been removed.

Updated to distinguish between community-based early help and targeted early help delivered through Family Help.

Expands examples of when children may benefit from support before statutory intervention, including universal services and community-based Early Help, or the targeted early help level of Family Help.

The following have been added to the list to help early identification by staff in education settings:

• is pregnant and/or is a parent themselves
• has exhibited early signs of abusive, violent and/or harmful behaviours
• has been repeatedly removed from the classroom, experienced multiple suspensions, is on a part-time timetable, is at risk of being permanently excluded from schools, colleges and in Alternative Provision or a Pupil Referral Unit
• is at risk of being radicalised into terrorism

Added "modern slavery" into indicators of harm and abuse staff should be aware of.

Added "including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, stalking" into harms relating to domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse) and "financial exploitation" into considerations for criminal exploitation.

Added additional sentence about child to parent or care giver as a form of abuse.

Clarified that emotional abuse may include verbal abuse (e.g., criticism, belittling, name-calling).

Expanded child-on-child abuse content to emphasise that: it is a safeguarding issue for both victim and alleged perpetrator, it is preventable and it may involve serious physical harm or threats involving weapons.

Expanded content on Child Criminal Exploitation and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Mental health section has been substantially updated including a list of potential warning signs that mental health concerns may develop into safeguarding concerns.

Serious violence section has been substantially updated to reinforce a safeguarding approach and importance of early, evidence-based support for those considered at risk, as well as at critical points when concerns emerge with links for practical guidance on targeted interventions such as mentoring.

Added guidance that where support is offered internally, the DSL should inform the parents or carers unless this would put the child at additional risk.

Clarifies when non-social-worker practitioners may lead assessments.

Added expectations for safeguarding partners to develop, agree and publish local protocols, including who can act as a lead practitioner supporting children and families under section 17, in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.

Clarifies that headteachers or principals will consider whether a referral to LADO is required where there is a concern or allegation about a staff member.

Trainee teachers are now explicitly included in information about reporting and managing safeguarding concerns about staff. This is reflected throughout the guidance.

The management of safeguarding

New section on sport.

Updated to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, effective from January 2026.

Added new section on "Regulations and safeguarding requirements relating to school premises", including toilets and changing/shower facilities.

Added expectations for robust DSL cover arrangements e.g. confidential shared mailbox.

Expanded guidance on information sharing, including risk assessment and clarification that data protection laws do not prevent sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. The guidance notes that specific statutory guidance on Information Sharing Duty will be provided following consultation.

Added details on PSHE Association approved resources.

Updated definitions of online risk categories.

Added guidance and resources on safe and effective use of Generative AI in education.

Added new section on "Mobile phone policy" in line with Mobile phones in school, DfE 2026 (statutory guidance).

Reaffirms requirement for SLT member responsible for filtering and monitoring to annually review effectiveness of arrangements with school's designated safeguarding lead and IT support. This is not an additional requirement, it is an existing requirement within DfE Filtering and Monitoring standards.

Clarifies governing bodies and proprietors should ensure their school or college has appropriate cyber security systems in place.

Updates the list of factors the child protection policy should include (see updated Norfolk model policy) in relation to child-on-child abuse.

Added new section on "Boarding and residential accommodation".

Updated section on reasonable force to reflect new restrictive intervention guidance, DfE 2026.

Updated content on alternative provision and clarification of schools' responsibilities to carry out safeguarding checks and due diligence.

Significantly updated section on "Children requiring mental health support" mirroring paragraphs 45-48 in Part one.

Added new section on "Young carers" and their specific needs.

Added further additional barriers that children with SEND may face:

• Communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting these challenges risks that they do not understand that what is happening to them is abuse
• The need for intimate care or that these children are isolated from others
• That these children are more likely to be dependent on adults for care

Added new section on safeguarding children with medical conditions.

Updated content on children who are LGB or gender-questioning.

Safer recruitment

Regulated activity section rewritten for clarity and to include volunteers.

Regulated activity table updated to remove the 'supervision exemption' from regulated activity. This change has been made by the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

Removed "DBS check types" section to avoid duplication.

Added new bullet on DBS checks for volunteers in regulated activity.

Updated references from TRA Employer Access Service to DfE's Check a teacher's record.

Removed the DBS Criminal Record Checks and Barred List Checks flowchart as it was no longer factually accurate following the removal of 'supervision exemption' from regulated activity under the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

Clarifies the type of DBS check a self-employed person is now eligible for.

Volunteer section rewritten to remove the 'supervision exemption' from regulated activity. This change has been made by the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

Work experience supervision section rewritten for clarity and in response to the Crime and Policing Act 2026 change to the definition of regulated activity.

Moved former Annex D (homestay) into main body.

Existing staff paragraph updated to include volunteers and duty to refer section rewritten to include referrals about volunteers.

Safeguarding concerns or allegations made against staff, including supply teachers, volunteers and contractors

Reference to "Trainee teachers" added throughout.

Updated supply teachers, trainee teachers and all contracted staff section to make it clearer that schools and colleges share safeguarding responsibilities with third party organisations.

New content setting expectations for handling concerns about trainee teachers.

Child-on-child sexual harassment and sexual violence

Part five is substantially rewritten to highlight the progressive continuum from harmful sexual behaviour through to sexual violence with updated links and content on consent, universal services, community-based early help and a new section on "Referrals to Family Help" (582-592).

A - C (D & E removed)

Further information (previously Annex B in KCSIE 2025)

Annex A 2025 is removed and all staff must at least read Part one.

Further information about specific harms and abuse have been updated throughout including guidance relating to Operation Encompass duties.

Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (previously Annex C in KCSIE 2025)

Added expectations around DSL cover arrangements when the DSL is unavailable.

Added further information to information sharing guidance.

Updates on CCE/CSE indicators and Operation Encompass duties.

Regulated activity (children) - Supervision of activity which is regulated activity when unsupervised (previously Annex E in KCSIE 2025)

The Crime and Policing Bill Act 2026 made changes to regulated activity to remove the 'supervision exemption'. This means that any person volunteering in a school or college in a role that involves teaching, training, instructing or supervising children on more than 3 days in a month or overnight is now in regulated activity.