KCSiE 2026 Information-only version published

The DfE has published the information-only version of Keeping children safe in education 2026. It will come into effect on 1 September 2026, as is usual practice.

The department’s ‘for information’ versions are intended to provide schools with details on the changes in advance of the implementation date. After two years of minimal changes, the KCSiE 2026 collates many factors that have already being shaping safeguarding practice for the last couple of years. It signals several priorities for schools, including

• embedding the use of Family Help terminology and local referral arrangements, thresholds and statutory interventions

• online harms, including AI-generated abuse

• the increased information that all staff in schools and colleges are now expected to know

• preventative safeguarding work, particularly around child-on-child abuse and harmful sexual behaviour

• the safeguarding and operational expectations in relation to children who are gender-questioning

Download and read here

Part one: Information for all school and college staff has also been published, which is also for information-only.

Read it here

The DfE has also published the consultation response.

Read it here

We will be providing expert analysis of the documents as soon as possible. Make sure you re signed up to our Safeguarding Bulletin to be kept up-to-date.