What is it?
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is the Department for Education's (DfE) statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges in England. It sets out the responsibilities of schools, colleges, leaders, governors and staff in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.
The guidance is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in legislation and safeguarding practice. The current KCSIE 2026 guidance came into force on 1 September 2026.
What are the changes?
Recent updates include:
- Stronger messaging around online safety, including the risks associated with misinformation, disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories.
- Additional information to support the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
- Increased awareness that child-on-child abuse can occur both inside and outside of school, including online
- Emphasis on challenging abusive behaviours and recognising all forms of child-on-child abuse, including bullying, relationship abuse, physical and sexual violence, sexual harassment, image-sharing offences and hazing.
A full summary of changes can be found in the relevant annex of the guidance.
Where can I find it?
The latest version of KCSIE can be downloaded from the DfE's Website.