The DfE has published a consultation for the revisions to Keeping Children Safe in Education for September 2026.
https://safeguarding.info/kcsie2026draft
This is a major update to KCSIE and the list of changes runs to six pages. (see Annex D, page 195)
The government say that this update ‘reflects substantive changes that strengthen or clarify existing content, changes to multi agency working ahead of any legislation changes in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, where appropriate the recent Casey Audit, and adds content in relation to Violence Against Women and Girls.’
Key themes have been added into this consultation version:
- children who are questioning their gender
- mental health
- artificial Intelligence
- child-on-child abuse
- serious violence
- misogyny
- CCE and CSE
Key changes have been proposed mainly to Parts One, Two and Five, (Incidentally, it is proposed that all staff should read and understand Part One, and the Annex A summary should be removed.)
Part One (Safeguarding information for all staff) proposed changes include:
- the phrase ‘Early Help’ replaced throughout by ‘Family Help’, reflecting the shift to a two-tier model of universal early help and targeted Family Help.
- statutory guidance EYFS section 3 (Welfare) should be read alongside KCSIE where children aged 0-5 attended school-base nurseries. (This brought in important statutory changes around paediatric first-aid, safer eating, recruitment training and intimate care procedures.)
- changes to some definitions of harm, including sexual abuse, emotional abuse and online abuse
- updated indicators for support ‘before statutory intervention’
- Modern slavery
Part Two (The management of safeguarding) proposed changes include:
- clarification of expectations related to children questioning their gender, including sport; changing rooms, showers, toilets; and boarding and residential accommodation. (It is important to note that the provisions relating to toilets, changing rooms and boarding and residential accommodation are mandatory requirements.)
- DSL cover arrangements to include the provision of a confidential shared mailbox or equivalent system
- need to broaden the records shared with any new school (risk to others, concerns around serious violence or harmful sexual behaviour; and that DSLs should have a conversation before transfer where there are issues of concern
- widening range of topics in RSHE, AI and misogynistic influencers
- mobile phones
- AI and online safety
- young carers
- children with medical conditions
Part Three (Safer Recruitment) now includes a Single Central Record template
Part Four (Safeguarding concerns or allegations made about staff) now specifically includes ‘trainee teachers’ in the guidance
Part Five (Child-on-child sexual harassment and sexual violence) proposed changes include:
- reorganised to place Harmful Sexual Behaviour as the framework for this section
- consequently this part has been largely rewritten and reordered
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework (Section 3 – Welfare)
Section 3 of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework should be read alongside KCSIE where children aged 0–5 attend school-based nurseries or reception classes. This brings in statutory expectations around paediatric first aid, safer eating, recruitment, training and intimate care procedures.
The consultation closes on Wednesday 22 April 2026 at 11.59pm.
To share your views go to:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/independent-education-and-school-safeguarding-division/keeping-children-safe-in-education-2026-revisions/
