The Department for Education (DfE) has released the draft 2024 Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, which introduces important changes to safeguarding practices in schools and colleges across England. This overview highlights the key updates and offers practical advice to ensure a smooth transition to the new guidance.
Important Note: The KCSIE 2024 guidance becomes statutory on 1 September 2024. Until then, schools and colleges must continue to adhere to the 2023 guidance.
Key Changes in KCSIE 2024
- Revised Definition of Safeguarding (Paragraph 3): The definition now aligns with "Working Together to Safeguard Children," emphasising early intervention, protection from harm (both online and offline), and promoting the best outcomes for all children.
‘No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:
- Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
- protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
- preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
- ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.’
- Strengthened Early Help (Paragraph 18 and 497): The guidance broadens the focus of early help to encompass a wider range of vulnerabilities, including mental health concerns, young carers, risk of exploitation, and the impact of parental circumstances.
‘Any child may benefit from early help, but all school and college staff should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for a child who:
- is disabled or has certain health conditions and has specific additional needs
- has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory Education, Health and Care plan)
- has a mental health need
- is a young carer
- is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups or county lines
- is frequently missing/goes missing from education, home or care,
- has experienced multiple suspensions, is at risk of being permanently excluded from schools, colleges and in Alternative Provision or a Pupil Referral Unit.
- is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, sexual and/or criminal exploitation
- is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
- has a parent or carer in custody, or is affected by parental offending
- is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as drug and alcohol misuse, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse
- is misusing alcohol and other drugs themselves
- is at risk of so-called ‘honour’-based abuse such as Female Genital Mutilation or Forced Marriage
- is a privately fostered child. ‘
- Preventing Radicalisation (Annex B): This section is under review following the March 2024 definition of extremism. Further guidance clarifies that potential indicators of radicalisation should be considered alongside other factors and the overall context.
- Data Protection (Paragraph 92): KCSIE 2024 reinforces the importance of compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR when handling personal information.
- Alternative Provision and SEND (Paragraph 171): Schools remain responsible for the safeguarding of pupils in alternative provision, with an emphasis on providing additional pastoral support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- Supporting LGBTQ+ Children (Paragraph 205-209): This section is under review pending the outcome of the gender questioning children guidance consultation. The guidance advises caution when supporting gender questioning children and stresses the importance of involving parents in decision-making.
Additional Changes
- Terminology: "Unexplained and/or persistent absences from education" replaces "deliberately missing education" (Paragraph 31). Headings have been updated to reflect the potential for "abuse, neglect and exploitation" rather than just "abuse and neglect" (Paragraph 19).
- Definition of Abuse: The definition of abuse has been expanded to highlight that witnessing ill treatment of others is harmful to children, particularly in the context of domestic abuse (Paragraph 24).
Recommended Actions for Schools and Colleges
- Policy Review: Meticulously review and update your safeguarding, child protection, and related policies to align with the revised KCSIE guidance.
- Staff Communication: Ensure that your governing body and staff are fully informed about the key changes in KCSIE 2024.
- Comprehensive Training: Implement thorough staff training sessions, particularly during INSET days in September, to cover the updated guidance in detail.
- Safeguarding Audit: Conduct a comprehensive audit of your safeguarding processes, procedures, and provisions. Develop a detailed action plan to address any identified gaps before the start of the new academic year.
Further Information
- KCSIE 2024 Draft Guidance: Keeping children safe in education 2024
- Department for Education Safeguarding Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/education/safeguarding-pupils
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Checklist
- Safeguarding Inspection Preparation Checklist for Headteachers
- Recruitment and Selection Process Checklist, based on KCSIE 2024
