The Department for Education recently announced its annual updates to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines for 2024. This annually updated blog aims to get you up to speed with the new guidance by sharing some of the fundamental changes to the guidelines and what you can do to stay on top of safeguarding in your schools.

What is KCSIE, and why is it being updated?

Keeping Children Safe in Education guides trust leaders, headteachers, teachers, staff, governing bodies, proprietors and management committees by providing them with the legal duties schools and educational professionals must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 in an educational setting. The new KCSIE guidance comes into action from 1st September 2024 and replaces the 2023 equivalent, highlighting some necessary changes for the education sector. 

KCSIE is updated regularly to reflect changes in the sector and to ensure that all threats, challenges and changes in society are reflected in the guidance for school staff. There are some it’s important to be aware of them when planning for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Summary of Some of the Key KCSIE 2023 Changes

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.

Main Areas of change: 

Part One: 

• Definition of safeguarding 

The DfE are amending the definition of ‘safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children’ in line with Working together to safeguard children 2023

• Early help

The DfE have provided dditional information around when children may require early help, in accordance with the guidance in Working together

• Abuse, neglect and exploitation

Document has been updated to include exploitation throughout the document where applicable.

• Children absent from education

DfE guidance clarifies ‘Safeguarding Issues’ – ‘deliberately missing education’ by amending to reflect revised definition of ‘unexplainable and or/persistent absences from education’

Part Two:

• Data protection

Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR – paragraph included to comply with DPA/UKGDPR requirements

• Alternative provision

‘Alternative Provision’ – text added to clarify school remains responsible for the pupils they place in alternative provision 

• Additional needs advice

Links added to NSPCC advice on protecting children with SEN; and deaf/disabled children and young people 

• Children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or gender questioning

‘Children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning their gender’ – disclaimer added, and additional text includes further clarification to comply with gender questioning children guidance terminology. (Page 55)

Annex B

• Children and the court system

Children and the court system’ – two separate age-appropriate guides for schools to support children in the court system now included.

Annex C

• Holding and sharing information

Holding and sharing information’ – bullet point 3 further guidance added regarding the rationale for making decisions.

Safeguarding Insights from our Pupil Experience and Wellbeing Survey

Guidance in KCSIE now clarifies that; being absent, as well as missing, from education can be a warning sign of a range of safeguarding concerns, including sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation.

Using our Pupil safeguarding survey is a coherent way to understand pupils' experiences within schools and to reflect on changes to your school policies and practices relating to safeguarding. Running a survey in your school or trust can support the development of more efficient and effective policies that benefit the pupils within your organisation and adhere to the guidance outlined in KCSIE 2023.

Complete your Deep Dive into the State of Safeguarding and Pupil Experience and Wellbeing in your school with Edurio Unlimited

In our recent Pupil Wellbeing in Schools report we found that In 2022/23, just 38% of pupils reported feeling well physically and mentally, and 27% reported feeling not very well or not well at all. Considering trends over time, the data shows that pupil wellbeing has worsened each year since the survey began. The proportion of pupils reporting feeling well has decreased by 9% from 47% in 2020/21.

Only one third (33%) of pupils feel that they often have an adult at school they trust and can talk to if something worries them. In fact, 42% rarely or never feel they have an adult to talk to at school if something worries them. Since 2020/21, when 41% of pupils said that they often have an adult at school who they trust and can talk to when something worries them, this figure has decreased by 8%.

Edurio's Safeguarding Survey templates explore the safeguarding topics touched on by the Pupil Learning Experience and Wellbeing Survey in more detail and covers the following topics: 

• Curriculum,
• Treatment of others, 
• Feelings of Safety, 
• Access to help.

The survey also asks for pupils’ gender identity, year group, ethnicity and religious status, which helps school leadership teams analyse data and look for trends within specific groups. Book a consultation with Katie now to find out more!