As the safeguarding landscape continues to evolve, the Department for Education has released a new version of its statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025. This document, which comes into force in September 2025, sets out what schools and colleges in England must do to safeguard children and promote their welfare.
This update builds on previous versions and introduces additional expectations, clearer responsibilities, and a more coordinated approach across educational settings.
Why It Matters
Safeguarding is not just about reacting when something goes wrong. It is about building an environment where all children are safe, feel heard, and are supported at the earliest sign of need. KCSIE 2025 makes it clear that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, whether you are a teacher, caretaker, volunteer or governor.
The guidance applies to all schools and colleges in England, including maintained, independent, free schools, academies, pupil referral units and post-16 providers. All staff must understand their safeguarding duties, and leaders must ensure this understanding is embedded in daily practice.
Key Themes in KCSIE 2025
A Stronger Emphasis on Early Help
Early help continues to be a priority. Schools must be alert to signs of vulnerability and act quickly before concerns escalate. Particular attention is drawn to children with special educational needs, those experiencing mental health difficulties, and those at risk of exploitation, criminality or abuse.
Staff Knowledge, Training and Induction
All staff must receive safeguarding and child protection training at induction and regular updates thereafter. This includes online safety, which now has increased emphasis, particularly on filtering and monitoring responsibilities.
New staff must be provided with:
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The safeguarding and child protection policy
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The staff behaviour policy (code of conduct)
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The behaviour policy
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Procedures for managing absences
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The identity and role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Leadership and Governance
Governing bodies and proprietors must ensure a strong safeguarding culture throughout their institution. This includes:
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Ensuring staff understand their responsibilities
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Reviewing policies regularly
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Appointing a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead with sufficient authority
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Ensuring appropriate responses to both low-level concerns and more serious allegations
There is now a greater expectation for senior leadership teams and designated safeguarding leads to provide ongoing support to staff and lead on multi-agency safeguarding work.
Safer Recruitment and Vetting
The recruitment process must include clear procedures to deter and prevent unsuitable people from working with children. The guidance details essential pre-employment checks, including:
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Enhanced DBS checks
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Prohibition from teaching checks
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Right to work in the UK verification
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Overseas criminal record checks where relevant
There is also clarification around regulated activity and the recording of vetting information.
Child-on-Child Abuse and Sexual Violence
The guidance continues to prioritise action on child-on-child abuse. Schools must:
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Recognise that abuse between children can happen in any setting
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Ensure policies are clear on sexual harassment, violence, and harmful behaviours
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Challenge any culture that minimises such behaviour as “just banter”
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Support victims appropriately and consistently
A child-friendly, trauma-informed approach is essential in both the response and ongoing support.
Safeguarding Allegations About Staff
New emphasis has been placed on managing all concerns about staff, whether they meet the threshold for serious harm or not. This includes:
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Clear procedures for managing low-level concerns
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Ensuring all staff understand how to report concerns
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Appointing a local authority designated officer (LADO) contact for more serious allegations
Where staff feel unable to raise concerns internally, the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line is available as an alternative route.
Specific Forms of Harm and Emerging Threats
The guidance outlines a wide range of safeguarding risks that schools must be equipped to recognise and address. These include:
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Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE)
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Radicalisation and extremism
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County lines
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Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
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Honour-based abuse and forced marriage
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Domestic abuse and teenage relationship abuse
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Online abuse and technology-facilitated harm
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Mental health difficulties linked to safeguarding risk
KCSIE reinforces that children can be harmed both within and beyond their home environment, and often through multiple overlapping vulnerabilities.
What Schools Should Do Now
With the guidance taking effect in September 2025, schools and colleges should now be:
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Reviewing and updating safeguarding policies and procedures
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Delivering refresher training based on the latest expectations
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Auditing their safer recruitment practices
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Communicating clearly with staff about roles, responsibilities and reporting routes
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Ensuring DSLs and governors are familiar with the changes and leading implementation
Final Thoughts
The 2025 update to Keeping Children Safe in Education is comprehensive, reinforcing the principle that safeguarding is a whole-school, whole-community responsibility. It provides schools and colleges with a clear framework for preventing harm, responding to concerns, and ensuring the wellbeing of every child.
Whether you are a teacher on the front line, a school governor or a designated safeguarding lead, this is your call to action. By taking time to fully engage with the updated guidance, schools can continue to foster environments where children are safe, valued and supported to thrive.
Read the full government documentation by clicking here.
