Government announces Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 Consultation

Today the Government has announced the public consultation on proposed changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 statutory guidance.

The proposed changes include, amongst other things:

• Increased guidance on how to respond to the risk associated with grooming gangs and serious violence, including concerns related to weapons.

• More detail about Operation Encompass (this is the duty on police forces to contact schools the next day following identified incidents of domestic violence).

• Increased detail about the issues of misogyny, child sexual abuse and criminal exploitation.

• Further guidance on information sharing between safeguarding agencies prior to transfer of the safeguarding file between settings.

• Advice on mobile phone use.

• Information related to supporting students who are questioning their gender and how the setting should respond.

Some of these areas of consultation have been previously suggested by other recent guidance such as the updated RSHE curriculum and the recent expectations given to schools in relation to mobile phone use by students. Some areas are less expected.

We will be looking at the consultation document in detail and will bring you a detailed summary as soon as possible.

In the meantime please go to our dedicated KCSiE 2026 information page and sign-up to one of our free KCSiE 2026 Consultation webinars, and sign-up to our safeguarding Bulletin to be kept up to date on the new legislation.