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From 1 September 2026, the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) comes into effect, reinforcing an important message that has always sat at the heart of safeguarding: protecting children is everyone’s responsibility.
While many of the core principles remain unchanged, KCSIE 2026 places greater emphasis on emerging safeguarding risks, particularly those linked to online safety, artificial intelligence (AI), mental health and exploitation. It also strengthens expectations around information sharing, safer recruitment and safeguarding culture across education settings.
For school and early years leaders, the new guidance presents an opportunity to review existing practice, ensure staff understand their responsibilities and identify any gaps before the start of the new academic year.
Here’s what you need to know.
Safeguarding Continues to Be a Whole-Setting Responsibility
One of the strongest messages running throughout KCSIE 2026 is that safeguarding cannot sit solely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Every adult working with children has a role to play in recognising concerns, acting promptly and making decisions that put the child’s best interests first.
All staff should:
- Know their safeguarding and child protection policies
- Understand who the DSL and deputy DSLs are
- Receive safeguarding training during induction and regular updates throughout the year
- Be able to identify signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation, online harm, mental health concerns and child-on-child abuse
- Know how to report concerns immediately
This reinforces the need for regular safeguarding training and documentation using systems like CPOMS StudentSafe that goes beyond compliance and gives staff the confidence to recognise and respond to emerging risks.
Online Safety and AI Are Top Priorities in KCSIE 2026
Perhaps the most significant shift in KCSIE 2026 is the increased focus on online safety and the rapidly evolving risks associated with artificial intelligence.
The guidance now explicitly references AI-generated sexual imagery, including so-called “deepfakes” and “deep nudes”, recognising the growing harm these technologies can cause to children and young people.
Schools are expected to ensure staff understand:
- AI-generated sexual images and image manipulation
- Online exploitation and coercion
- Harmful online content
- Emerging technologies and associated safeguarding risks
The guidance also strengthens expectations around filtering and monitoring systems. Schools should ensure these systems are effective, reviewed regularly and supported by a strong online safety curriculum that helps pupils understand the risks they may encounter.
As technology continues to evolve, safeguarding practices will need to evolve alongside it so the impact of online influences on student wellbeing can be addressed early.
Mental Health Is Recognised as a Safeguarding Issue
KCSIE 2026 continues the growing recognition that mental health and safeguarding are closely linked.
While not every mental health concern is a safeguarding issue, the guidance highlights that certain behaviours should prompt safeguarding consideration, including:
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
- Eating disorders
- Significant behavioural changes
- Withdrawal from normal activities
- Sleep difficulties linked to wellbeing concerns
Staff should understand that safeguarding concerns relating to mental health should always be shared with the DSL so appropriate support and intervention can be considered.
For many schools, this means ensuring safeguarding and pastoral teams continue to work closely together rather than treating wellbeing and safeguarding as separate responsibilities.
Greater Focus on Criminal Exploitation and Serious Violence
The updated guidance strengthens expectations around identifying children who may be vulnerable to exploitation.
Staff should be aware of indicators linked to:
- County lines activity
- Gang involvement
- Knife carrying
- Drug transportation
- Financial exploitation
- Child sexual exploitation
- Online grooming and coercive relationships
Importantly, KCSIE reinforces that children involved in exploitation should be recognised as victims rather than offenders.
Early identification remains one of the most effective safeguarding interventions, making staff awareness and professional curiosity essential.
Challenging Harmful Behaviour Between Children
Child-on-child abuse continues to receive significant attention within the guidance.
The examples now include:
- Bullying and cyberbullying
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual violence
- Upskirting
- Coercive behaviour
- Sharing sexual images
- AI-generated sexual imagery
- Hazing and initiation rituals
Just as importantly, KCSIE challenges attitudes that minimise harmful behaviour.
Phrases such as “it’s just banter”, “boys will be boys” or “it’s part of growing up” should never be accepted as reasons to dismiss inappropriate behaviour.
Leaders should consider whether their safeguarding culture actively encourages children to report concerns and whether staff consistently challenge behaviour before it escalates.
Information Sharing Should Never Be Delayed
One of the clearest messages repeated throughout KCSIE 2026 is that concerns about data protection must never prevent appropriate safeguarding action.
The guidance reinforces that:
- Information should be shared early
- Decisions should be recorded clearly
- GDPR should not become a barrier to protecting children
This serves as an important reminder that effective safeguarding practice depends on timely communication between professionals and accurate record keeping.
Safer Recruitment Remains a Leadership Priority
The updated guidance also reinforces expectations around safer recruitment.
Leaders should ensure they continue to:
- Follow robust recruitment procedures
- Complete appropriate DBS and barred list checks
- Maintain an accurate Single Central Record
- Vet volunteers, contractors and agency staff appropriately
- Review recruitment processes in light of updated regulated activity requirements
With changes to regulated activity also taking effect from September 2026, many organisations may wish to review recruitment procedures before the start of term.
Accurate Record Keeping Underpins Effective Safeguarding
Poor record keeping continues to feature in safeguarding reviews and serious case findings.
KCSIE reminds schools that safeguarding records should be:
- Accurate
- Secure
- Chronological
- Clearly evidence decisions made
- Record actions taken and outcomes achieved
Good safeguarding records through systems like StudentSafe not only support children more effectively but also enable schools to demonstrate robust practice during inspections and multi-agency working.
What Should Leaders Do Before 1 September, 2026?
The start of the new academic year is an ideal opportunity to review safeguarding arrangements across your setting.
Key priorities include:
- Reviewing safeguarding and child protection policies
- Updating online safety policies to reflect AI-related risks
- Reviewing filtering and monitoring arrangements
- Refreshing safeguarding training for all staff
- Ensuring child-on-child abuse procedures reflect the updated guidance
- Reviewing policies around image sharing and AI-generated content
- Strengthening attendance and children missing education processes
- Confirming DSL and deputy DSL cover arrangements
- Reviewing whistleblowing and low-level concerns procedures
- Checking safer recruitment processes and Single Central Record compliance
Rather than viewing KCSIE 2026 as a checklist of policy updates, leaders should see it as an opportunity to strengthen safeguarding culture across their organisation
This Year’s Meaningful Difference Is Understanding Complexity
KCSIE 2026 doesn’t radically change the foundations of safeguarding, but it does reflect the increasingly complex environments in which children are growing up.
The guidance recognises that safeguarding today extends beyond physical environments into digital spaces, mental wellbeing, emerging technologies and evolving forms of exploitation.
For schools and early years settings, preparing for September isn’t simply about updating policies. It’s about ensuring every member of staff understands their role, feels confident to act on concerns and contributes to a culture where children feel safe, heard and protected.
By taking time now to review procedures, refresh training and strengthen safeguarding practice, leaders can begin the new academic year confident that they are meeting both the letter and the spirit of the updated guidance.
Supporting Your Safeguarding Journey with the Right Partner
Meeting the expectations of KCSIE 2026 requires more than compliant policies. It requires the right processes, the right culture and the right tools to help staff identify, record and respond to concerns effectively.
At CPOMS, we’re committed to helping schools and early years settings strengthen their safeguarding practice through secure, connected solutions that support every stage of the safeguarding journey. Staff who use StudentSafe can record low-level concerns, build clear chronologies for timely information sharing and have greater oversight across settings or trusts. CPOMS helps safeguarding and leadership teams focus on what matters most: protecting children and enabling early intervention.
