KCSIE 2026 changes: how you can prepare
The Department for Education (DfE) published their Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 guidance following consultation earlier this year. The guidance is statutory from 1 September, so schools are expected to follow it from the start of the 2026-27 academic year.
Tes Magazine has written an article with a summary of the key changes – this is our guide to how you can prepare for them.
Contents:
Online safety
The online safety section of KCSIE has been updated for 2026, including updated definitions of online risk categories:
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Content: content that can cause harm now includes “extreme sexual or physical violence”
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Contact: contact that risks causing harm now includes contact with generative AI applications that simulate interaction with another user
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Conduct: harmful conduct now includes making or sharing AI-generated explicit images
Over 70 of our Safeguarding and Duty of Care courses have been updated to ensure compliance with 2026 KCSIE updates. This includes all the courses mentioned in this article.
Our Online Safety course was created in collaboration with Childnet, a UK-based charity whose mission is to make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people.
The course helps you to understand online safety – including potential risk factors and statutory guidance – and explores how you can help young people develop a safe online culture.
Mental health
The mental health section of KCSIE has been substantially updated for 2026, now stating that all members of staff “should be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, develop into safeguarding concerns”.
The section specifically names self-harm, suicidal ideation and risk of suicide as safeguarding concerns that mental health problems might create.
It also names specific warning signs of mental health problems that education staff might recognise:
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Significant changes in behaviour
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Ongoing difficulty sleeping
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Withdrawing from social situations
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Not wanting to do things they usually like
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Physical signs of self-harm or neglecting themselves
The new guidance goes on to state that identifying these signs enables staff to provide “vital early intervention” – but that schools should ensure “any interventions they offer are evidenced as safe and effective and appropriate for the need and phase of education”.
The guidance states where a child is in danger, staff should call 999 or arrange for a parent or carer to take them to A&E. In non-emergency situations, staff can get help from NHS 111 online or call 111.
Mental health is an increasingly discussed topic in schools and it’s key that staff understand what pupils are experiencing and know what to do if they suspect a child is self-harming or at risk of suicide.
Our Understanding Self-harm course is updated for KCSIE 2026 and explores what self-harm is, why people self-harm and common triggers, indicators of self-harm and how you can support a young person who is self-harming.
Similarly, our course on Suicide Awareness and Prevention helps staff identify signs a young person may be experiencing suicidal thoughts and reduce the risk of suicide, as well as how to start a conversation about suicide with young people.
Mobile phone policy
A new section has been added to KCSIE for 2026 that outlines the expectation for all schools to be “mobile phone-free environments by default”. This is the first time this has been included in KCSIE.
The guidance states that schools should implement a policy in line with the Mobile phones in schools statutory guidance “whereby pupils do not have access to their mobile phone throughout the school day including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime”
Modern slavery
Previously, KCSIE guidance stated all staff should be aware of the indicators of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
The new guidance includes modern slavery in this list, meaning all members of staff should now understand the signs a person is experiencing modern slavery.
Modern slavery has also been added to guidance around child criminal exploitation (CCE) and child sexual exploitation (CSE), with a note that some forms of exploitation may constitute modern slavery.
KCSIE now also states that in line with the Modern Slavery statutory guidance, “a relevant child protection and modern slavery referral should be completed where a potential victim of CCE or CSE is identified”.
Gender-based policies
A new section has been added to KCSIE with guidance around children who are questioning their gender.
The guidance states that where a child or their parent has raised a request around social transition, schools should try to understand the child’s thoughts and feelings and should be “appropriately professionally curious about the full range of the child’s experiences”.
It says schools should “consider adopting policies across school and college life that maintain flexibility and avoid rigid rules based on gender stereotypes”.
It also states that schools must not allow children into toilets designated for the opposite sex, even where they are responding to a request to support social transition.
Where single-sex sports have been implemented for safety reasons, pupils also shouldn’t participate in sports designated for the opposite sex.
The guidance also says pupils shouldn’t use changing rooms or residential accommodation designated for the opposite sex. Instead, schools should consider whether they can provide alternative toilets or changing facilities – but this is a suggestion and is not mandated.
At all times, schools should consider what’s best for the child and other children.
Child-on-child abuse
Child-on-child abuse content in KCSIE has been updated for 2026 to reflect that it “is a safeguarding issue for both victim and alleged perpetrator, it is preventable and it may involve serious physical harm or threats involving weapons”.
Part five of KCSIE is focused on child-on-child abuse, and this part now emphasises “the progressive continuum from harmful sexual behaviour through to sexual violence”.
The guidance now also states that a safeguarding response is required in all incidents of the sharing of nude or semi-nude images, including where they were shared consensually.
Tes Safeguarding Training includes a course on Child-on-Child Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence, updated for KCSIE 2026. This course supports school staff’s understanding and approach to sexual violence and harassment in the context of child-on-child abuse.
Safeguarding concerns about colleagues
KCSIE now specifically names trainee teachers as members of staff who might have allegations made against them.
This means schools should ensure they have processes in place for managing allegations made against trainee teachers, as they would any other member of staff.
The guidance states that where schools have to consider allegations against individuals not employed by the school (e.g. trainee teachers or supply teachers), schools share safeguarding responsibilities with the employment agency or business – but schools “remain responsible for gathering the facts and managing the safeguarding process”.
Safeguarding software such as MyConcern makes it easier to manage allegations made against staff. MyConcern includes a dedicated secure platform for managing staff allegations, including low-level concerns.
The platform enables you to securely record allegations and low-level concerns separately from student concern management, as well as monitor concerns to identify trends early and prevent escalation.
This supports you to maintain a comprehensive audit trail and produce reports on concern data related to staff, in accordance with KCSIE and other guidance.
Similarly, our course on Managing Allegations of Abuse Against Staff helps you understand the importance of being alert and what to do if you have a doubt or worry about a colleague’s behaviour or intentions.
Information sharing
There are some updates to guidance around information sharing for KCSIE 2026.
The guidance states that when deciding what information to share, schools need to consider:
- How relevant certain information is, including to the current safeguarding risk
- What the receiving setting needs to know
- Whether the information is presented clearly and with appropriate context
It also states information shared should be “focused and proportionate” – which means some information might be summarised or omitted where it is not necessary for safeguarding purposes, “but care should be taken not to omit information where it may be relevant to understanding or managing safeguarding risk”.
It also says that specific statutory guidance on the Information Sharing Duty will be provided in future, following consultation.
New content on information sharing also includes the importance of sharing information where it indicates a risk to others or the pupil, with KCSIE now stating that it would be good practice for designated safeguarding leads at both settings to have a conversation where there are concerns.
The guidance gives the example of a pupil who has previously carried, threatened with or used a weapon – information sharing is key here because “it is incumbent on the receiving school to assess risk, and accordingly, put in place a safety and support plan for when the child arrives”.
Keep pupils safer with a total safeguarding approach
It’s essential that all teachers and staff members understand their role in keeping pupils safe, and feel empowered to do it with confidence.
Similarly, seeing the full picture is key to identifying potential risks early, addressing concerns promptly and ensuring the wellbeing of every child.
Our total safeguarding solution is designed to support every stage of the safeguarding process for a fully connected, end-to-end approach where all pupils are safe at school.
Explore how our total safeguarding solution can help you ensure compliance and nurture proactive safeguarding at your school or trust.
