A reminder that bookings are still open for the Westmorland and Furness Safeguarding Children Partnership (WFSCP) Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Conference 2026.

The final version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) which came into force on 1 September 2026, includes several important amendments that were added following consultation on the draft guidance.

A key change is the introduction of prejudice-based harm within safeguarding practice. The guidance now recognises that experiences such as racism, faith-based prejudice and other forms of discrimination can have a significant impact on a child's welfare, wellbeing, mental health and willingness to seek help. Practitioners are encouraged to consider these experiences within safeguarding assessments and responses where appropriate.

The guidance also strengthens expectations around child-on-child abuse, with discriminatory behaviour, including racism, faith-targeted abuse and other prejudice-based incidents, now explicitly included within the definition. Schools and colleges are further encouraged to promote an inclusive, anti-discriminatory culture where such behaviour is recognised, challenged and addressed as part of their safeguarding responsibilities.

In addition, wording relating to child sexual abuse and consent has been strengthened. The guidance now makes clear that children under 13 can never legally consent to sexual activity and reinforces that sexual activity with a child under 16 is an offence, regardless of whether the child appears to have agreed.

KCSIE now clarifies that staff in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) settings must not start work until the required DBS and children's barred list checks have been completed, reinforcing safer recruitment requirements.

These changes reflect an increased focus on ensuring practitioners recognise the wider experiences that can impact a child's safety and wellbeing and respond to them through a safeguarding lens.

The NSPCC have published a  briefing containing the key changes: Key changes introduced in Keeping children safe in education 2026

Updated Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Frameworks requirements came into force on 1 September 2026. All early years providers should ensure they are familiar with the changes and review local policies, procedures and practice where required.

The changes include:

• Safer sleep requirements have been brought directly into the main body of the EYFS framework, so providers no longer need to refer to separate guidance.
• Registered childcare is now prohibited from operating on any premises where a banned dog breed is kept or present.
• Providers must notify Ofsted or their Childminder Agency (CMA) of allegations of harm (rather than only serious harm) involving anyone living, working or caring for children on the premises.
• Enhanced criminal records checks are now required for volunteers, including supervised volunteers.
• New employees must not start work until their DBS checks have been completed.
• Requirements have been amended regarding the information staff must disclose that may affect their suitability to work with children.
• Providers of childcare on domestic premises must notify Ofsted or their CMA of changes to any person aged 16 or over living or working on the premises, aligning with existing childminder requirements.
• Providers are now required to have regard to new guidance on children's screen use in early years settings. Help for early years providers : Screen use
• New requirements relating to banned dog breeds mean that registered childcare cannot be provided from premises where a banned dog breed is kept or present. This also applies to voluntarily registered providers, and nannies must take reasonable steps to ensure banned dog breeds are not present whilst providing childcare.
• The Early years qualifications requirements and standards document has been updated to clarify the Level 2 English requirements.

🔗 Further information: Changes to the EYFS framework from 1 September 2026 https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/support-for-practitioners/changes-to-the-eyfs-framework

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has published a new learning hub on adolescent suicide, bringing together learning from safeguarding reviews, evidence, case studies and practical resources for practitioners. The resources highlight that suicide is rarely the result of a single event and often follows a pattern of cumulative harm, including experiences such as abuse, neglect, bullying, mental health difficulties, family adversity and social isolation.

The learning hub encourages practitioners to recognise escalating vulnerability, be alert to warning signs such as self-harm and suicidal thoughts, and strengthen multi-agency information sharing and responses to risk.

🔗 Access the learning hub: Adolescent Suicide | Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel https://childsafeguarding.independent-panel.uk/hub-topic/adolescent-suicide/

These resources are valuable for anyone working with children and young people and can be used for individual learning, supervision, team discussions and safeguarding development activities.

The inspectorates have published a new Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) framework focusing on younger children living with neglect, with inspections beginning in autumn 2026. The framework focuses on how agencies work together to identify, assess and respond to neglect affecting unborn babies and children aged 0 to 11 years.

For practitioners, the guidance reinforces the importance of:

• Early identification of neglect and cumulative harm
• Timely information sharing and multi-agency working
• Effective assessment, planning and decision-making
• Working with families to prevent neglect and improve outcomes
• Ensuring the voices and experiences of children are central to practice

The framework also highlights the vital role of education, early years, health, social care, police and voluntary sector partners in recognising concerns and providing the right support at the earliest opportunity.

Read the guidance: Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to younger children living with neglect

See also on NSPCC Learning: Protecting children from neglect

This is a useful opportunity for all practitioners to reflect on how they identify, respond to and record concerns relating to neglect within their day-to-day practice.

The Department for Education has published updated statutory guidance ahead of the new Information Sharing Duty, which comes into force on 30 September 2026. Introduced through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, the duty is designed to give practitioners greater confidence and clarity about sharing information to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The guidance makes clear that relevant safeguarding information should be shared where the statutory criteria are met and reinforces that concerns about confidentiality or data protection should not prevent appropriate information sharing to keep children safe. It also clarifies that consent is not always required for information to be shared for safeguarding purposes.

The guidance applies to safeguarding partners and a wide range of agencies working with children, young people and families, and is supported by new strategic and operational data-sharing agreement templates.

🔗 Read the guidance: Information sharing to safeguard children and young people