KCSIE 2026: What’s New, What Matters, and What This Means for Schools

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE) which outlines the legal duties schools must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. While the final version will not be published until September, current consultation edits heavily reflect guidance that is already formalised. Preparing for these changes now can provide a strong head start, as the final publication is unlikely to change drastically.

KCSIE 2026 Changes at a Glance

Over the last 10 years, there has been an incredible amount of change and additional responsibility, with the document going from 61 pages back in 2015, to 187 pages in 2025, and now 201 pages in 2026, despite the removal of Annex A. The removal of Annex A will bring changes to your compliance signature checklist for September, as all staff will be required to read Part One in full.

With this rising regulatory pressure in mind, supporting the staff holding these responsibilities is more critical than ever. While formal supervision has been a requirement for nurseries and social care, it has yet to be explicitly mandated within KCSIE. We firmly believe that schools should have access to this same level of professional support and scrutiny, which is precisely what our specialised supervision service is built on.

The upcoming KCSIE update will cover a wide range of topics. In this article, we will break down the key themes: online safety, mental health, gender-questioning children, misogyny, serious violence, and early help. For those seeking a more in-depth strategic discussion or professional development, you can explore our upcoming training sessions here.

Responding to Emerging and Online Safeguarding Risks

Online abuse has a devastating impact on a child’s wellbeing and ability to access education. To protect pupils effectively, schools must have a thorough understanding of the updated 4Cs of online safety: Content, Contact, Conduct, and Commerce.

Content

The definition of content now includes being exposed to extreme sexual or physical violence online, building on previous updates relating to misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories. As you update your practices, consider how you have responded to previous iterations. What have you done, has it been impactful, and can you test this? Ensure you share this with governors and trustees, as this is an excellent piece of work to gain assurance on.

Contact

Contact now includes the risk of harmful online interactions with AI. This is a rapidly evolving area that we previously explore during our safeguarding conference last year.  

Conduct

The definition of child-on-child abuse regarding consensual and non-consensual self-generated intimate images now formally includes AI-generated material. Under UK Law, creating deepfake intimate images without consent is now a criminal offence. Having already partnered with schools to navigate real-life deepfake incidents, we provide the expert support and consultation to manage these complex challenges effectively.

On a more technical side, KCSIE clearly states that governors should have strong oversight of the school’s filtering and monitoring systems and review their effectiveness on a periodic basis. Reviews should include checks that filtering is working appropriately on all internet-connected devices in all relevant locations, and a record should be kept on these checks. Our audited schools are now able to effectively test and evidence this with our governing bodies and trustees.  

Mental Health, Behaviour and Serious Violence as Safeguarding Indicators

KCSIE denotes that mental health problems can be a sign that a child has suffered or may be suffering from abuse or neglect, with the 2026 version making clear reference to suicidal ideation and risk of suicide for the first time when addressing mental health concerns.

While education staff are not expected to diagnose or treat mental health problems, they still have an important role to play. Specifically, schools should support the fulfilment of these four key roles:

• Promoting good mental wellbeing and preventing the onset of mental illness
• Observing pupils and identifying early those who may be experiencing mental health problems or being at risk of developing one
• Ensuring early targeted support is provided
• Liaison with/referral to specialist services where needed

As part of your inset day training, you should ensure staff are clear on what to look out for and what your whole-school approach to mental health is, including how they can promote positive mental wellbeing and tailor lessons on positive wellbeing to the needs of their cohort. Your mental health lead and support teams all form part of this.

Serious Violence and Misogyny

The guidance embeds serious violence within chid-on-child abuse, categorising it as a critical safeguarding concern. Any indicators of weapon-carrying or intent should be immediately referred to the DSL. KCSIE also highlights the need to de-escalate peer conflict and further risk factors of serious violence such as exploitation, noting that incidents of violence are highest before and after school.

Misogyny is a dominant factor influencing safeguarding. KCSIE identifies it as a root cause of harmful sexual behaviour and harassment. Recognising its escalatory nature the guidance maps sexual behaviours on a clear spectrum to promote early intervention.

Serious violence, misogyny, repeated classroom removal, and part-time timetables are now linked as key indicators for early help. KCSIE emphasises acting before concerns escalate to statutory intervention. To align with WTTSC, early help is now split into two tiers:

• Universal Services: Education, health, Family Hubs, youth services, youth offending teams, and housing
• Targeted Early Help: Specialised support delivered by Family Help teams

Gender Questioning: Safeguarding-Led Decision Making

Support for children questioning their gender is explicitly framed as a safeguarding matter. The statutory framework rejects informal or ad hoc responses, demanding a careful, structured, and case-by-case approach.

• DSL-Led Decisions: KCSIE places responsibility on schools to evidence professional judgement and risk assessments in relation to areas such as toilets, changing, sport, and school trips
• Default Parental Involvement: Parents and carers should be involved in most cases; any exceptions must be justified by a specific, documented safeguarding risk and formally recorded
• Balancing Legal Duties: Safeguarding legislation, equality law, and human rights law are all explicitly referenced and no single duty should override safeguarding responsibilities
• Biological Sex and Administration: Schools must record a child’s biological sex accurately in admissions and legal documents, review application forms to ensure this data is explicitly requested

How Judicium Can Help...

Judicium Education’s Safeguarding Service is designed to support schools and academy trusts to meet Ofsted  and statutory requirements and prepare for the upcoming KCSIE updates.

From annual safeguarding audits and unlimited advisory service to our Jedu online compliance dashboard where you can track progress and access resources, our comprehensive service is designed to strengthen your safeguarding strategy and create a safe and supportive environment for pupils and staff alike.

You can find information regarding our Safeguarding services here.

If you would like to talk to someone about some support for your school or trust, do not hesitate to call us on 0345 548 7000 or email enquiries@Judicium.com

You can follow us on X: @JudiciumSG   @JudiciumEDU

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