The Department for Education has published a draft version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 as part of a national consultation. While the guidance is not yet statutory, it gives a strong indication of how safeguarding expectations are evolving ahead of September 2026.
KCSIE remains the foundation of safeguarding practice in schools and colleges, and these proposed changes are not about rewriting safeguarding from scratch. Instead, they reflect emerging risks, recent learning, and a growing emphasis on clarity and consistency for all staff.
We break down some of the key proposed changes and what they mean for senior leaders, teachers and support staff.
Why is KCSIE being updated?
KCSIE outlines the legal responsibilities and best practice expectations for safeguarding in education settings. It is updated regularly to reflect emerging risks to children, changes in wider statutory guidance, and lessons learned from serious case reviews and national inquiries. As the landscape around technology, policy, and societal change evolves, the guidance must keep pace.
The 2026 revisions aim to improve clarity, address new and developing risks, and provide schools and colleges with practical, up-to-date support.
The Department for Education (DfE) is currently consulting on these proposals, with responses invited until 22nd April 2026. Education staff, governors, and parents are invited to share their views through the official government consultation portal.
You can respond to the consultation through the DfE’s official consultation portal on GOV.UK: Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 Proposed Revisions
A major shift: all staff must read Part One in full
One of the most significant proposed changes is the removal of the condensed version of Part One.
Under the draft KCSIE 2026 guidance, all staff will be expected to read Part One in full, rather than relying on a shortened summary. This reflects a clear message from the Department for Education: safeguarding understanding needs to be thorough and consistent across all roles.
For staff, it reinforces that safeguarding goes beyond recognising obvious signs of abuse. Understanding early help, overlapping risks and reporting processes is central to the role, and school leaders will need to ensure training, induction, and evidence of staff understanding are up to date.
Safeguarding definitions have expanded
The draft guidance updates and expands several safeguarding definitions to reflect the realities of today.
New or clarified areas include:
- modern slavery explicitly recognised as a safeguarding issue
- financial exploitation added to abuse definitions
- stalking included as a form of harm
- verbal abuse clearly identified within emotional abuse
The guidance also places stronger emphasis on the fact that safeguarding risks often overlap. A child experiencing emotional abuse may also be affected by neglect, online harm or exploitation.
This helps staff move away from thinking in isolated categories and towards a more holistic understanding of risk.
Early Help and Family Help: safeguarding starts sooner
The draft KCSIE 2026 guidance places a clearer focus on early help, with updated language and clearer pathways.
It distinguishes between:
- community-based early help, and
- targeted early help delivered through Family Help
The message is consistent throughout the guidance: early help is a safeguarding response and should be used whenever concerns arise. Action can be taken even before statutory thresholds are met.
This is especially important for staff who observe patterns over time rather than single incidents.
Child-on-child abuse: clearer expectations for staff
Child-on-child abuse is now referred to as child-on-child abuse (including harassment and violence), with clearer expectations throughout the guidance.
The draft makes explicit that:
- it is a safeguarding issue for both the child harmed and the child causing harm
- it is preventable, not inevitable
- it can involve serious harm, coercion or weapons
Part Five of the guidance has been substantially rewritten to show a clear continuum of behaviours, supporting staff to respond proportionately and confidently.
This reinforces the importance of early intervention, clear reporting routes and consistent understanding across staff teams.
Mental health, serious violence and exploitation
Several sections have been substantially updated to reflect the overlap between safeguarding and wider wellbeing concerns.
The guidance makes clear that:
- mental health difficulties are not safeguarding issues in themselves
- they may indicate vulnerability or increased risk
- staff should understand when mental health concerns require safeguarding action
The sections on Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and serious violence have also been updated. They now reflect:
- organised networks and exploitation by groups or gangs
- the fact that children may not see themselves as victims
- the importance of professional curiosity, not relying solely on disclosure
Gender-questioning guidance: a careful, child-centred approach
The draft KCSIE 2026 guidance includes updated wording on supporting children who are questioning their gender. It highlights key principles and practical steps for schools and staff when a child or parent requests support.
- Respond only when a child or parent raises a request; schools should not initiate action.
- Treat each child individually and avoid assumptions based on gender stereotypes.
- Take into account the child’s age, stage of development, mental health, family situation, and experiences at school and with peers.
- Recognise social transition as an active intervention, and keep decisions flexible so support can be reviewed or adjusted as a child’s needs or circumstances change.
- Engage parents or carers as a priority, treating their views with importance. In rare cases where involving them could put the child at risk, the DSL should take the lead before any contact or decisions.
- Support children who wish to detransition or may be living in stealth.
- Bullying must never be tolerated.
- Schools must provide separate toilets, changing rooms, and PE facilities for boys and girls aged 8 and over (except single-use toilets), in line with legal and safeguarding requirements.
Online safety
Online safety remains a core part of safeguarding in KCSIE 2026. Children and young people face risks across four areas:
- Content – exposure to harmful or inappropriate material, such as pornography, extremism, self-harm, or misinformation.
- Contact – risky online interactions, including grooming, peer pressure, or exploitation.
- Conduct – unsafe behaviour online, including sharing explicit images or cyberbullying.
- Commerce – financial risks, such as scams, phishing, inappropriate advertising, or gambling.
The 2026 draft guidance builds on previous advice with several updates:
- expanded guidance on cybercrime and computer misuse
- clearer expectations around filtering and monitoring systems
- updated advice on mobile phone policies and information security
- additional support for schools in guiding parents around online safety and screentime
This reflects the increasing complexity of online risks and the need for safeguarding systems to keep pace.
What this means for education staff
For teachers and support staff, KCSIE 2026 emphasises knowing more, acting earlier, and sharing concerns confidently. Safeguarding is a collective responsibility, supported by clear systems and strong leadership. Effective practice comes from understanding, curiosity, and consistency, and relies on teamwork rather than working alone.
For senior leaders and DSLs, the guidance highlights areas to prioritise, including reviewing policies, training, and safeguarding systems, and ensuring all staff are confident in their roles and responsibilities.
Final thoughts
Although KCSIE 2026 is still in draft form, the proposed changes give schools time to prepare and reflect. Engaging with the guidance early helps safeguarding practice evolve thoughtfully and proactively.
Safeguarding ensures every child feels safe, supported, and listened to, and that every adult in school understands their role in making that happen.
The full draft Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 guidance is available on the Department for Education website here: KCSIE 2026 Draft for Consultation
