The Government is launching a 10-week public consultation on proposed changes to its Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance, with responses open until April 22, 2026. KCSIE is the core safeguarding document that all schools and colleges in England must follow when carrying out their legal duties to protect and promote the welfare of children.
Proposed changes include addressing grooming gangs and serious violence (including weapons), improving awareness of Operation Encompass (which requires police to inform schools following incidents of domestic abuse), tackling misogyny, enhancing information-sharing between safeguarding agencies when pupils move schools, responding to child sexual abuse and criminal exploitation, and providing clearer guidance on mobile phone use.
The consultation also considers new sections relating to children questioning their gender, covering toilets, changing rooms and showers, boarding and residential accommodation, and single-sex sports. Drawing on the Cass Review, the proposals emphasise safeguarding, parental involvement, a cautious approach – particularly for primary-aged children – and a firm stance against bullying.
Find out more here.
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