Safeguarding leads warn they have been left in an “impossible situation” in having to wait for crucial guidance from the Department for Education.

The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance is updated annually, normally in early spring. The most recent version was released on 24 May 2024.

However, the 2025 version - which the previous government said would be “substantively updated” - is yet to be released, prompting concern from leaders as the end of the school year approaches.

Teachers ‘need reassurance’ on KCSIE

“KCSIE has to be in place for the new term, so, fundamentally, schools are being pushed into an impossible situation,” said Luke Ramsden, deputy headmaster and director of safeguarding for the St Benedict’s family of schools.

“Lots of people had presumed there would be lots of changes because of the consultation [the previous government] ran, but it might be that the big changes are coming in KCSIE 2026, but they haven’t said either way.”

Mr Ramsden called on the DfE to “just reassure teachers and tell them what the plan is”.

A consultation was launched before last year’s 4 July general election that was supposed to inform the content of KCSIE 2025.

The consultation said at the time: “Ministers have decided that KCSIE 2024 will undergo technical changes only before final publication in September 2024, with a view to providing a more substantively updated document, encompassing wider changes, to be delivered in 2025.”

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said it has been seeking clarification from the DfE over when the guidance will be published, and has been told that this will happen as soon as possible.

‘Impossible position’

Contrary to the DfE’s statement last year, ASCL is not expecting substantial changes in this year’s
document, although it “will need to reflect the latest RSHE guidance, the Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act, and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill”, said Margaret Mulholland, SEND and inclusion specialist at the union.

She added: “It’s important that school leaders are made aware of when the new version will land so they can plan and prepare accordingly. Designated safeguarding leads [DSLs] are currently in an impossible position.”

Nicola Law, director of safeguarding at Liberty Academy Trust, told Tes that DSLs are getting more and more “stressed” the closer it gets to September.

“We’re hearing it’s not going to be substantial changes, which DSLs will be grateful for as, since it’s been left this late, not everyone has the time to put towards preparing staff to make sense of changes and embed them effectively into policies and training,” she said.

“But the disappointment is then, why did we have a call for evidence about KCSIE 2025? I understand why there might be a need for a delay but some more transparency and communication from the DfE on that would be really valuable.”

Ms Law added the delay could particularly affect DSLs at maintained schools, who are less likely to have large safeguarding teams around them.

‘Unnecessary anxiety’

Safeguarding lead Thomas Michael told Tes: “It’s difficult to prepare when we don’t know what the changes are going to be. Some things may not be included or something completely different could be added.”

Ms Law said: “It’s causing unnecessary anxiety. If it is going to be minor changes, there will still be a workload for safeguarding leads to update policies. Even last year I found myself going into the summer and I had longer then [to prepare for the changes].”

Heather Fowler, head of safeguarding and welfare at Endeavour Learning Trust, said significant changes seemed unlikely this year due to the change in government and ongoing legislation.

Tes has asked the DfE when KCSIE 2025 will be published, and if the delay was due to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is still passing through Parliament. There had been no response at the time of writing.

You can now get the UK’s most-trusted source of education news in a mobile app. Get Tes magazine on iOS and on Android