There are no major systemic changes in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2024 – these have been deferred to next year. The government’s call for evidence on safeguarding in schools and colleges closed in June 2024 and will help them “to inform future iterations of Keeping children safe in education”. Ministers decided this year’s guidance should contain only “technical changes … with a view to providing a more substantively updated document, encompassing wider changes, to be delivered in 2025”.

It may be that the implications of key changes outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children (WTtSC) 2023 on education staff will be looked at then. In the meantime, we have added a reminder of two of these in steps 4 and 5 for you to consider. Check out our WTtSC web page for details of other changes and resources to help you with them.

A summary of the changes that have taken place is set out in Step 2. Safeguarding Network is always here to help. It’s easy to join from just £99+vat a term so you’re part of a network of DSLs working on KCSiE together.

We’ve summarised the main changes in KCSiE below, but you should also read the document to be sure you are confident and competent in your role. If you have subscribed to the free Safeguarding Network fortnightly bulletin you will have access to a full detailed list of all the KCSiE changes.

You may need to update your safeguarding policy, induction training, and approach around working with alternative education provision.

Consider how you are going to update staff. Safeguarding Network members have access to our General Safeguarding Training Pack which is updated annually in line with the new guidance.

How you do this is a matter for your discretion. Staff who do not directly work with children need only read Annex A if the governing body or proprietor think it will provide a better basis for those staff to promote the welfare of and safeguard children. If you have staff whose first language is not English, the London Grid for Learning translate KCSiE Part 1 and Annex A into various different languages.

Staff (and governors) should also be familiar with relevant parts of the rest of the guidance, dependent on their job role.

Every setting should “ensure that mechanisms in place to assist staff to understand and discharge their roles and responsibilities as set out in Part one (or Annex A if appropriate) of this guidance”. The guidance requires you demonstrate understanding, not just a list of people who have signed to say they read the document.

Our Keeping Children Safe in Education Knowledge Check will help – it points people to the right part of the guidance, asks when they read it, quizzes them on their knowledge and on the application of their knowledge with scenario-based questions. Nearly 22,000 people completed it last year, and it too is updated annually in line with the new guidance.

Consider how well the multi-agency expectations for practitioners (as outlined in WTtSC) are being applied in your setting. How are you and your senior leaders supporting staff to do so? What kind of learning and challenge culture do you have? Are your governors/proprietors checking and challenging safeguarding and child protection practice? Safeguarding Network offer governor membership and training. We also offer enhanced membership packages which include reflective review tools for DSLs and regular meetings with an experienced safeguarding consultant.

How well do strategic leaders, senior and middle managers, and all staff know and implement their different responsibilities around the five key areas of collaboration, learning, resource, inclusion and mutual challenge? Consider what evidence you have of success, what the gaps are, and what training is needed. Safeguarding Network can help -check out our increasing number of training courses and e-learning on various topics.

How well do staff who work with parents and carers understand and implement the four principles of effective partnership – building positive relationships, respectful communication, empowering participation, and seeking and valuing their contributions? How well are the principles reflected in your safeguarding and related policies, as well as staff practice?

All staff whose role includes working with children’s families need to fully understand and implement the principles for working with parents and carers. How do you check and monitor that this is happening? Do your staff need additional training? Do your parents/carers know what to expect?