Safeguarding · Schools and colleges
KCSIE 2026: what has changed and what staff need to read
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 came into force on 1 September 2026, replacing the 2025 version as the statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges in England. The headline change is simple: every member of staff must now read Part One in full, because the condensed version in Annex A has been removed.
Beyond that, the 2026 update brings new guidance on early help and Family Help, artificial intelligence and online harms, child-on-child abuse, children questioning their gender, information sharing and safer recruitment. This guide explains what has changed, which part of KCSIE 2026 all staff need to read, and what your school or college should do next.
What part of KCSIE 2026 do all staff need to read?
All staff need to read Part One: Safeguarding information for all staff, in full. This applies to everyone working in a school or college, including staff who do not work directly with children, such as site, catering and office staff, as well as temporary and agency staff.
Annex A has been removed
In earlier versions, staff who did not work directly with children could read Annex A, a condensed version of Part One, instead. From 1 September 2026 Annex A has been withdrawn, references to it have been removed, and the previous Annex B (further information) takes its place. The Department for Education’s reasoning is that all staff should work to the same safeguarding expectations, whatever their role.
The new Part One overview
The DfE has also published a new Part One: Overview for all staff document as a quick-reference tool. It does not replace the requirement to read Part One in full.
Who is responsible
Governing bodies and proprietors are responsible for making sure staff have read Part One, so keep a record of who has read it and when, and build it into induction for new starters.
What are the new changes to KCSIE 2026?
Here are the main changes at a glance. The detail follows below.
| Area | What has changed |
|---|---|
| Staff reading | Annex A removed; all staff read Part One in full; new Part One overview document |
| Early help | Aligned with Working Together; all staff should know the criteria for Family Help and other referral routes |
| Online safety and AI | Deepfakes and AI-generated abuse covered; filtering and monitoring effectiveness reviewed at least annually; new content risks |
| Child-on-child abuse | Part Five reworked; stronger focus on misogyny; racism and faith-based abuse included |
| Sexual abuse definition | Wording tightened to align with Working Together |
| Gender-questioning children | New guidance on social transition, confidentiality and parental involvement |
| Information sharing | References the new statutory duty, in effect from 30 September 2026 |
| Absence from education | “Deliberately missing” replaced with “unexplainable and/or persistent absences” |
| Safer recruitment | Supervision exemption removed; more volunteers may need enhanced DBS checks |
| Other additions | Alternative provision, medical conditions, domestic abuse notifications, mobile phones |
Language changes to know
KCSIE 2026 key requirements and actions for schools
This table sets out the main requirements in each area of change, and what your school, college or early years setting needs to do as a result.
| Change category | Key requirement and substantive updates | Impact and action required |
|---|---|---|
| Staff reading | Annex A has been completely withdrawn. In previous years, staff not working directly with children could read a condensed summary. Now, all staff (teaching and non-teaching) must read Part One in full. A new “Overview” document exists for quick reference but cannot replace reading Part One. | Schools must update their induction and annual training logs to track that every single staff member reads Part One. |
| Safer recruitment and volunteers | In alignment with the Crime and Policing Act 2026, the “supervision exemption” has been removed from regulated activity. Anyone volunteering in teaching, training, instructing, or supervising children on more than 3 days in a month (or overnight) is now in regulated activity, even if supervised. | Schools must obtain an enhanced DBS check with a children’s barred list check for these volunteers. Regulated activity tables and old DBS flowcharts have been completely revised. |
| Early years vetting (EYFS) | New starters in settings subject to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework cannot begin working or volunteering until their enhanced DBS certificate and barred list check are physically received. | Unlike standard school settings, risk assessments can no longer be used to allow an EYFS staff member or volunteer to start work while awaiting a DBS return. |
| Online safety and artificial intelligence | Digital safety definitions have been heavily rewritten to tackle emerging tech risks:
| Acceptable use policies and online safety training must include explicit instructions regarding AI-facilitated abuse. |
| Mobile phones and tech infrastructure | Incorporates statutory guidance cementing schools as mobile phone-free environments during the school day. Additionally, the effectiveness of filtering and monitoring systems must be formally reviewed and recorded at least once every academic year by SLT, IT, and the DSL. | Schools must have a distinct, clear mobile phone policy and maintain a compliance log for their annual filtering reviews. |
| Gender questioning children | External standalone DfE guidance on gender-questioning children has been absorbed straight into KCSIE. It emphasises a cautious, flexible approach to gender stereotypes. Two new sub-sections clarify legal obligations regarding single-sex sports and single-sex spaces, confirming schools can lawfully separate children by biological sex for sport. | Policies must balance anti-discrimination frameworks under the Equality Act 2010 and Human Rights Act 1998. |
| Mental health and early intervention | Substantially expanded text mandates that staff recognise that mental health problems can develop into safeguarding concerns (specifically citing self-harm and suicidal ideation). It shifts terminology to align with multi-agency reforms, replacing “early help” with the developing “Family Help” framework. | Staff are expected to offer “vital early interventions” that are evidence-based, safe, and age-appropriate. |
| Abuse definitions | Terminology has changed from “sexting” or “indecent images” to “nudes and semi-nudes” to better capture youth image-sharing behaviours (including AI-altered images). The term “so-called honour-based abuse” has been broadened to “honour or faith-based abuse” to recognise that religious and faith beliefs can motivate these harms. | Safeguarding policies, reporting forms, and training language must be updated to mirror these precise legal definitions. |
KCSIE 2026 changes in detail
Greater emphasis on early help and Family Help
KCSIE 2026 is brought into line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. All staff should now be aware of the criteria for referring a child to community-based Family Help, for a section 47 assessment under the Children Act 1989, and for other processes affecting vulnerable children.
The guidance also highlights children who may need extra support, now including those who are repeatedly removed from the classroom or on a part-time timetable.
AI, online safety and filtering and monitoring
The guidance now addresses risks from AI, including deepfake images and videos, and signposts the DfE’s guidance on generative AI in education. The list of online content risks has been widened to include disinformation, misinformation and conspiracy theories.
KCSIE also moves away from the terms “sexting” and “indecent images” in favour of “nudes”, which can include AI-generated or digitally altered images.
Schools and colleges must also review the effectiveness of their filtering and monitoring systems at least once every academic year, with clearer expectations about who is responsible.
Child-on-child abuse, misogyny and discrimination
Part Five has been substantially reworked to give clearer guidance on child-on-child abuse, harmful sexual behaviour and serious violence. There is a stronger link between misogynistic content online and harmful behaviour.
The final version also states that racism, faith-based prejudice and other discrimination are safeguarding issues, and includes discriminatory behaviour within the definition of child-on-child abuse. The definition of sexual abuse has been tightened, and now refers to “forcing, causing or inciting” a child to take part in sexual activities.
Children questioning their gender
This is new for 2026. The guidance asks schools to approach these issues through a safeguarding lens and to be professionally curious about a child’s experiences and possible vulnerabilities. It covers social transition, use of facilities and how to handle requests.
Parents should nearly always be involved in requests for social transition, except in rare circumstances where involving them would create a greater risk to the child. Where a pupil confides in a member of staff but asks for no changes, there is no reason to break confidence unless there is a related safeguarding risk.
Information sharing
KCSIE 2026 reinforces that data protection should never prevent appropriate information sharing to keep children safe, and refers to the new duty under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
From 30 September 2026, specified agencies, including schools and colleges, must proactively share information relevant to a child’s welfare, unless sharing would be more detrimental to the child than not sharing. This is separate from the planned mandatory reporting duty for child sexual abuse, which has no commencement date yet.
Absence from education
The guidance clarifies that being absent, as well as missing, from education can be a warning sign of abuse, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation. The phrase “deliberately missing education” has been replaced with “unexplainable and/or persistent absences”, moving away from language that can blame the child.
Safer recruitment and volunteers
Part Three has changed following the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which removes the supervision exemption for DBS checks. Some volunteers who previously needed no enhanced check may now fall within regulated activity.
Where the EYFS framework applies, volunteers must not start work until the school has received their enhanced DBS certificate, including barred list information. Review every volunteer role and update your single central record.
Other additions in KCSIE 2026
Alternative provision
Schools that commission it keep safeguarding responsibility and must carry out their own due diligence.
Medical conditions
An incident involving a medical condition or allergy does not in itself warrant a safeguarding referral. One is needed only where there are concerns about increased risk of neglect, abuse or exploitation.
Domestic abuse and temporary accommodation
Notifications should feed into your wider safeguarding picture.
Mobile phones
A new section reflects the DfE’s mobile phones in schools guidance, and the importance of talking to parents about children’s online access when away from school.
What should schools and colleges do now?
KCSIE 2026 is already in force, so use this checklist to close any gaps. Your ticks are saved on this device.
0 of 10 complete
Reading the guidance is only the first step. Staff also need to understand it and know how to apply it in practice, which is where regular, role-specific safeguarding training helps.
KCSIE 2026 FAQs
When did KCSIE 2026 come into force?
KCSIE 2026 came into force on 1 September 2026 and replaced the 2025 version. The DfE published a “for information” version in July, and the final version, with some further changes, on 1 September.
Which part of KCSIE 2026 must all staff read?
Part One: Safeguarding information for all staff. All staff must read it in full, including those who do not work directly with children.
Has Annex A been removed from KCSIE 2026?
Yes. Annex A, the condensed version of Part One, has been withdrawn. The previous Annex B (further information) has taken its place.
Is the Part One overview document enough?
No. The new overview for all staff is a quick-reference tool. It does not replace reading Part One in full.
Does KCSIE 2026 apply to agency and supply staff?
Yes. The guidance applies to everyone working in a school or college, including permanent, temporary and agency staff.
Does KCSIE apply to care homes?
No. KCSIE is statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England. Care providers follow their own safeguarding duties and guidance.