Updated 7 July 2026: 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
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.
If you are not a member or a Safeguarding Bulletin subscriber and would like to download a copy of the 'KCSiE 2026 Guide to the Changes PDF', please use the form below to sign up to our Safeguarding Bulletin. You will be asked to enter your details and then you will be able to download the PDF.
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Free KCSiE Safeguarding Update and Changes Webinars
KCSIE 2026 will come into force on 1 September 2026. The department’s ‘for information’ versions are intended to provide schools with details on the changes in advance of the implementation date.
It is a pressure with the summer holidays just about to start, but Safeguarding Network will be doing all we can to make it easy for you. We think holidays are really important, but that many of you do work through, so we are giving you a choice of webinar dates to build our support around what works for you.
KCSiE 2026 Safeguarding Update Webinar 1: 7 August, 10am - 11am
KCSiE 2026 Safeguarding Update Webinar 2: 25 August, 12pm - 1pm
KCSiE 2026 Safeguarding Update Webinar 3: 2 September, 4pm - 5pm
KCSiE 2026 Implementation Webinars
We're running a series of webinars discussing key areas of the new KCSiE guidance. Find out more about the latest webinars and book your place.
Children questioning gender guidance: 17th September, 4pm - 5pm
Insights into affluent neglect: 15th October, 4pm - 5pm
Updated 3 July 2026: Watch the webinar recording - KCSIE 2026: Key updates and implications for DSLs
This webinar provided an overview of the proposed changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 and their implications for Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs). Department for Education representatives outlined key updates across all five sections of KCSIE, including the removal of Annex A so that all staff are expected to read Part 1, a stronger emphasis on early identification of safeguarding risks, family help, mental health, serious violence, misogyny, AI-related risks, multi-agency working, and enhanced information sharing.
The session also highlighted significant changes to regulated activity from September 2026, requiring additional safeguarding checks for certain volunteers following the removal of the supervision exemption. Part 5 has been restructured to help schools assess and respond to harmful sexual behaviour using a more evidence-based, continuum approach.
Throughout, speakers emphasised that these are still proposed changes pending publication of the final KCSIE 2026 guidance and encouraged schools to begin considering the potential impact on policies, training, recruitment practices and safeguarding procedures whilst showing insight into the thinking behind the proposed changes.
Updated February 2026: KCSiE Consultation 2026: Your guide to the changes
The consultation on Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 is open until 22nd April and there are a whole array of changes and clarifications to the guidance.
Safeguarding Network have pulled together a full guide to the changes.
Core safeguarding processes remain the same, but there’s a stronger emphasis on community based early help (distinguished now from the more targeted Family Help), lots of clarifications to definitions to improve focus and practice and stronger interlinkage with modern slavery when young people are exploited.
It is proposed KCSiE also incorporates the guidance for working with children who are questioning their gender, and Baroness Casey comments she thinks this provides a robust underpinning of the safety required for all children.
There’s clarification that DSLs need skills and experience as well as status and authority (!) and work to improve early notice to prospective schools of potential issues when children are moving between schools.
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