Secretary of State for Education (): Keeping children safe
could not be more important to this government and this
afternoon, it is launching a public consultation on proposed
changes to its Keeping Children Safe in Education
(KCSIE) 2026 statutory guidance. All schools and
colleges in England must have regard to this guidance when
carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children. It is the primary source of guidance and support for
schools and colleges.
Schools and Colleges play a critical role in keeping children
safe and KCSIE sets out the legal duties that schools and
colleges must comply with, together with good practice guidance
on what schools and colleges should do to keep children safe. The
guidance is extensive, covering what staff should know and do to
safeguard children, the management of safeguarding in schools and
colleges, safer recruitment, responding to allegations of abuse
against staff, handling reports on child-on-child sexual
harassment and sexual violence.
The purpose of this consultation is to gather views on proposed
changes to KCSIE 2026. The consultation will run for 10 weeks,
closing on 22 April 2026. The proposed changes include amongst
other things, further advice for school and college staff on:
- Grooming gangs and serious violence (including weapons)
- Operation Encompass (the duty on police forces to contact
schools the next day following incidents of domestic violence)
- Misogyny
- Information sharing between safeguarding agencies ahead of a
pupil's child protection file being transferred where children
move school
- Child sexual abuse/criminal exploitation
- Advice on mobile phone use
The consultation also includes advice to schools and colleges in
relation to children who are questioning their gender. We have
proposed separate new sections on toilets, changing rooms and
showers, boarding and residential accommodation and single-sex
sports. These sections are informed by the public consultation on
the draft non-statutory Gender Questioning Children: Guidance for
Schools and Colleges. This advice reflects the importance for
schools and colleges of making careful decisions about what is in
the best interests of children, including children who are
questioning their gender. It draws on the Cass Review of gender
identity services for children and young people to set out the
key principles which we expect schools and colleges to follow,
including taking a strong stand against bullying, safeguarding
all children, involving parents in decision-making and taking a
cautious approach, particularly in relation to primary-aged
children. The guidance is clear that supporting social transition
should not include allowing children into facilities designated
for the opposite sex.
The consultation document, containing full details of the
proposals and inviting responses will be available via gov.uk.
Copies of the consultation document and departmental advice will
also be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses
