Information and advice for early years staff on the safeguarding requirements in the EYFS published

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Every child has the right to grow up safe, healthy and protected from harm. Effective safeguarding is built on knowing your children, recognising concerns early, listening to children and families, and working together to provide the right support at the right time.

Read the new guidance.

Safeguarding is woven through everything we do we do in Early Years. It is not just responding to child protection concerns.

The DSL is central to creating and maintaining a strong safeguarding culture within an early year’s setting. The DSL provides leadership, advice and support to staff, ensuring concerns are recognised early, acted upon appropriately and that children receive the right help at the right time. Whilst safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, the DSL leads and coordinates the setting's safeguarding arrangements.

DSLs should be visible, approachable and knowledgeable. They should help to create confidence in others, ask the difficult questions, and support professional judgement. They should ensure the voice and lived experience of the child remains central to every safeguarding decision.

Effective safeguarding means:

- Creating a strong culture where children's welfare is everyone's priority.
- Building trusting relationships with children and families.
- Being professionally curious and recognising the signs of abuse, neglect and vulnerability.
- Sharing concerns promptly and working effectively with other agencies.
- Keeping clear, accurate records and acting without delay when concerns arise.
- Ensuring all staff receive regular safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities.

This is all underpinned in the EYFS 2026 guidance.

Safeguarding is not a single policy or procedure. It is part of every interaction, every observation and every decision we make.

Good key working practice and family participation principles apply:

- Know your children and their families.
- Listen, observe and record.
- Don't ignore low-level concerns.
- Keep the child's lived experience at the centre of all decisions.
- Never be afraid to seek advice or share concerns if you believe a child may need help or protection.

This is underpinned in the Working Together guidance document.