Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE): summary

If staff have concerns about a child

They should:

• Act immediately
• Follow your child protection policy
• Speak to your DSL (or deputy) as soon as they can

The DSL may then choose to:

• Manage any support for the child internally using the school's pastoral support processes
• Do an early help assessment
• Make a referral for statutory services

If the DSL or deputy is not available, staff should:

• Not delay taking action
• Speak to a member of the senior leadership team (SLT)
• Contact the local children's social care directly, if appropriate, and follow advice
• Tell the DSL or deputy about any actions taken as soon as possible

If a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, staff should:

• Make a referral to local authority children's social care (and the police, if appropriate – get guidance on when to call the police) immediately
• Keep a log of all concerns, discussions and decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions (this information should be kept confidential and stored securely)
• Discuss any uncertainties about recording requirements with the DSL or deputy

If staff have concerns about female genital mutilation (FGM) they should speak to the DSL or deputy immediately. There's a specific legal duty on teachers – where a teacher discovers that FGM has been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, they must report this to the police.

Staff should know what poor practice looks like

This includes:

• Failing to act on the early signs of abuse and neglect
• Poor record keeping
• Failing to listen to the views of the child
• Failing to reassess concerns when the situation does not improve
• Not sharing information, or sharing it too slowly
• Not challenging those who aren't taking action

Concerns about a staff member (including supply staff, volunteers and contractors) posing a risk of harm to children

You should have procedures in place to manage any safeguarding concerns or allegations about staff members. Staff should tell the headteacher immediately if:

• They have safeguarding concerns that a member of staff is posing a risk of harm to pupils
• An allegation is made against another member of staff

If the concerns relate to the headteacher, the staff member should tell the chair of governors.

If the headteacher is also the sole proprietor of an independent school, the staff member should tell the local authority designated officer (LADO). 

If you have concerns or an allegation is made about another staff member and there's a conflict of interest in reporting to the headteacher, this should also be directly reported to the LADO.

Concerns about safeguarding practice

Staff should follow your whistle-blowing procedures if they're worried about poor or unsafe practice, so these concerns can be raised with the senior leadership team (SLT).

They can contact the NSPCC whistleblowing advice line if they:

• Feel unable to talk to the headteacher or chair of governors
• Feel that their genuine concerns aren't being addressed

Staff should know the indicators of abuse and neglect ...

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child and can take the form of:

• Physical abuse – involving hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. This can also be caused by a parent or carer fabricating the symptoms of, or deliberately inducing illness in a child
• Emotional abuse – persistent emotional maltreatment, which causes severe and adverse effects on the child's emotional development
• Sexual abuse – forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of their health or development.

This is explained further on pages 10 and 11 of KCSIE 2022.

... and about behaviours linked to issues that can put children in danger

These include:

• Drug use
• Alcohol abuse
• Deliberately missing education
• Serious violence (including that linked to county lines)
• Radicalisation
• Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos

Child-on-child abuse

All staff should be aware that children can abuse other children, both inside and outside of school and online, including through:

• Bullying (including cyber-bullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)
• Abuse in intimate personal relationships (sometimes known as 'teenage relationship abuse')
• Physical abuse (which may include an online element)
• Sexual violence (which may include an online element)
• Sexual harassment, including online sexual harassment
• Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent
• Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as 'sexting')
• Upskirting (which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothes without their permission)
• Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals, which may include an online element

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) and child sexual exploitation (CSE)

Staff should know that CCE and CSE:

• Are forms of abuse where a person or group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into taking part in sexual or criminal activity:
• In exchange for something the child needs or wants; and/or
• For the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator(s) or facilitator(s); and/or
• Through violence or the threat of violence
• Can affect children both male and female, and can include children who have been moved (commonly referred to as trafficking) for the purpose of exploitation

In relation to CCE, staff should also know:

• The common forms it can take (including drug trafficking through county lines, working in cannabis factories, shoplifting or pickpocketing and committing vehicle crime or threatening/committing serious violence)
• Children may become trapped as they or their families may be threatened with violence and they may be trapped or coerced into debt or carrying weapons, or begin to carry them as a form of protection
• Children involved in criminal exploitation need to be recognised and treated as victims (particularly older children, whose vulnerability is often not recognised by adults), even though they may commit crimes themselves
• Even if a criminal activity appears to be consensual, the perpetrator may have been criminally exploited
• Girls are at risk of criminal exploitation too, even though their experience may be different from boys'

In relation to CSE, staff should also know:

• The types of activities that it covers, including physical contact and non-contact activities
• Which pupils it can affect
• That some children may not realise they've been exploited (e.g. they may believe they're in a romantic relationship)
• It can be a one-off or a series of incidents over time and may happen without the child knowing (e.g. through the sharing of images of them on social media)

Domestic abuse

Staff should know:

• It can encompass a wide range of behaviours and it may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents
• Children can be victims of domestic abuse – they may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships
• It can have a detrimental long-term impact on children's health, wellbeing, development and ability to learn

Serious violence

All staff should also be aware of the indicators that children may be at risk from, or are involved in, serious violent crime. These may include:

• Increased absence from school
• Changing friendships, or forming friendships with older individuals or groups
• Significant decline in performance
• Signs of self-harm or assault, or unexplained injuries
• Significant change in wellbeing
• Unexplained gifts or possessions

Staff should also know the risk factors that increase the likelihood of involvement in serious violence, such as:

• Being male
• Having been frequently absent or permanently excluded from school
• Having experienced child maltreatment
• Having been involved in offending, such as theft or robbery

Mental health 

Staff should be aware that mental health problems can be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.

Staff should know that only trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem, but that all staff should:

• Observe children day-to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one
• Report any mental health concern about a child that's also a safeguarding concern immediately by following your school's child protection policy and speaking to the DSL or deputy

Train your staff on pupil mental health using our resources in Safeguarding Training Centre. If you're not yet a Safeguarding Training Centre member, find out more here. 

You must have effective safeguarding policies in place, which you should give to all staff at induction.

Headteachers should make sure all staff follow these policies, especially those on how to make referrals for cases of suspected abuse or neglect.

Your school should have a child protection policy. This should include:

• Procedures that are in accordance with government guidance
• Your whole-school approach to child-on-child abuse, and your policy and procedures to deal with it
• Procedures to minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse and processes as to how victims, perpetrators and any other children affected will be supported
• Recognition that child-on-child abuse may be taking place, even if not reported
• A statement outlining a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and recognition that all child-on-child abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously
• The different forms of child-on-child abuse
• Recognition that there may be additional barriers when recognising abuse for pupils with SEN and/or disabilities and/or certain health conditions
• Systems in place for pupils to report abuse (which should be well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible)
• How allegations will be recorded, investigated and dealt with, in line with government guidance
• Locally agreed multi-agency procedures put in place by the safeguarding partners (see 'Multi-agency working' below)
• Links to policies on online safety, SEND and, if appropriate, serious violence and sexual harassment

And it should be: 

• Updated at least every year
• Publicly available (e.g. via the school website)

Your behaviour policy should include measures to prevent bullying, including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying

Your staff behaviour policy or code of conduct should cover at least:

• Low-level concerns
• Allegations against staff and whistle-blowing
• Acceptable use of technologies, including mobile devices
• Relationships between staff and pupils
• Communications, including the use of social media

You can download and adapt model versions of these policies from our Policy Expert. 

You need to work with other agencies, as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children.

This includes:

• Providing a co-ordinated offer of early help where needs are identified
• Contributing to inter-agency plans to support children who are subject to child protection plans
• Allowing access for local authority children’s social care to conduct section 17 or 47 assessments

You'll need to work with your safeguarding partners:

• Local authority (LA)
• Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) (previously known as clinical commissioning group)
• Chief officer of police 

If the safeguarding partners have named your school as a 'relevant agency', you have a statutory duty to co-operate with their published arrangements. 

Your governing board should:

• Make themselves aware of, and follow, their local arrangements
• Be prepared to supply information requested by the safeguarding partners
• Understand the local criteria for action and protocol for assessment, and make sure these are reflected in your policies and procedures

Governing boards, proprietors and staff need to make sure that:

• Arrangements are in place that set out principles and processes to share information within the school, and with the safeguarding partners, local authority children's social care, and others as required
• School staff are proactive in sharing information as early as possible to help identify, assess and respond to concerns about the safety and welfare of children
• Staff are aware of their obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018
• Staff are aware that data protection regulations do not prevent information sharing for the purpose of keeping children safe
• Staff are aware that they have the power to withhold information to promote children’s welfare, as well as share it
• Child protection files are maintained in line with the guidance in Annex C of KCSIE 2022

Your board should make sure that relevant staff:

• Have due regard to the data protection principles, which allow them to share, and withhold, personal information
• Are confident of the processing conditions that allow them to store and share information for safeguarding purposes
• Are aware that, if they need to share ‘special category personal data’, the DPA 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows them to share information
• Are aware that the school can refuse to share pupils' personal data if a serious harm test is met

Get further advice on sharing safeguarding information here.

You should provide safeguarding and child protection training at induction, and make sure it is updated regularly. This should follow advice from your local safeguarding partners. Staff should also receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates at least annually, via email, staff meetings, etc. 

Your DSL and any deputies should undertake training on their role, and update this at least every 2 years. They should also undertake Prevent awareness training.

Your DSL and deputies should refresh their knowledge and skills at least once a year through:

• E-bulletins
• Meeting other DSLs
• Reading about safeguarding developments

You should: 

• Consider the 4 areas of online safety risk – content, contact, conduct and commerce – when developing your online safety policy
• Consider how online safety is reflected in all relevant policies, and consider it when planning the curriculum, teacher training, the role of the DSL and parental engagement
• Have a clear policy on the use of mobile and smart technology, which reflects how you manage online child-on-child abuse in school
• Make sure your school uses regular contact with parents and carers to reinforce the importance of online safety, including making parents aware of what you ask children to do online (e.g. sites they need to visit or who they'll be interacting with online) 
• Make sure there are appropriate internet filters and monitoring systems in place to protect pupils from harmful and inappropriate content online
• Make sure you have the appropriate level of security measures in place to protect your systems, staff and pupils
• Review your approach annually, including a risk assessment that considers and reflects the risks your pupils face

Make sure you have procedures to manage any safeguarding concerns or allegations about staff

This includes supply staff, volunteers and contractors. 

You should refer to your local authority designated officer (LADO) any allegations against staff that might indicate they pose a risk of harm to children.

You should follow procedures set out in part 4, section 1 of KCSIE for addressing allegations that may meet the harms threshold and part 4, section 2 for lower-level concerns. 

Your procedures must include how to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if a member of your staff working in regulated activity has been dismissed or removed for safeguarding reasons (or would have been if they hadn't resigned). 

Part 4 of KCSIE has more information about this.

Making referrals to the DBS

You have a legal duty to make a referral to the DBS where a person in regulated activity has been dismissed or removed due to safeguarding concerns or would have been had they not resigned. 

Part 3 of KCSIE includes more details on when to make a referral to the DBS.

Children who need a social worker 

Children may need a social worker due to abuse, neglect and/or complex family circumstances. Experiences of adversity and trauma can leave children vulnerable to further harm, as well as potentially creating barriers to attendance, learning, behaviour and mental health.

Your LA should tell you if a child has a social worker, and the DSL should hold and use this information in the best interests of the child's safety, welfare and educational outcomes. This includes when decisions are made about safeguarding and promoting welfare, such as:

• Responding to unauthorised absence or missing education where there are known safeguarding risks
• The provision of pastoral and/or academic support

Children missing from education 

You must provide your LA with certain information when removing a child from your school roll. This is because children missing from education, particularly persistently, can be an indicator of a range of safeguarding issues including neglect, sexual abuse, and child sexual and criminal exploitation.

Your response to this happening should aim to help identify any abuse and limit the risk of the child going missing in the future.

Elective home education (EHE)

If a parent/carer requests their child is educated at home, you should work with your LA and other key professionals to co-ordinate a meeting with the parents/carers, where possible. This is to make sure the decision is made in the best interests of the child. 

This is particularly important where a child has SEN and/or a disability, is vulnerable, and/or has a social worker.

Looked-after children (LAC) and previously LAC

The most common reason for children becoming 'looked after' is as a result of abuse and/or neglect.

Make sure:

• Your staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to keep LAC and previously LAC safe
• This includes information regarding the child's legal status and parental contact arrangements
• Your governing board appoints a designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of these children
• This person must be appropriately trained
• The DSL has details of the child’s social worker and the name of the virtual school head in the authority that looks after the child
• The designated teacher for LAC works with the virtual school head to discuss how best to use funding to support the progress of LAC and meet the needs identified in the child's personal education plan
• They should also work with the virtual school head to promote the educational achievement of previously LAC

Children needing mental health support 

Governing boards should make sure there are:

• Clear processes for identifying possible mental health problems 
• Routes to escalate concerns 
• Clear referral and accountability systems

The DfE will be supporting the costs of:

• A training programme for senior mental health leads to develop a whole-school approach to mental health (this should be available by 2025)
• The national roll-out of the Link Programme

Having a senior mental health lead isn't compulsory, but it's expected that any individual taking up this position would be a member of, or supported by the SLT, and could be the pastoral lead, special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) or DSL.

Care leavers

Your LA appoints personal advisers for young people who become care leavers.

Your DSL should:

• Have details of the personal adviser appointed to support a care leaver
• Liaise with the personal adviser regarding any concerns affecting the care leaver

Children with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, or health issues

These children can face additional safeguarding challenges.

Make sure your child protection policy reflects that additional barriers can exist to recognising abuse and neglect in children with SEN and/or disabilities, or health issues. These can include:

• Assumptions being made that possible indicators of abuse relate to the child's disability, without further exploration
• Peer isolation
• Being disproportionately more affected by issues such as bullying
• Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming those
• Cognitive understanding barriers – for example, being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content, or the consequences of repeating the content/behaviours in school

Children who are lesbian, gay, bi, or trans (LGBT)

Recognise that:

• These children can be targeted by other children
• It's vital you provide a safe space for these children to speak out and share their concerns with members of staff

Pupils in alternative provision

These pupils often have complex needs and as a result, they may be more at risk of harm. 

Page 42 of KCSIE includes links to guidance for alternative provision settings.

In some circumstances, it's appropriate for your staff to use reasonable force to safeguard children.

The decision on whether or not to use reasonable force to control or restrain a child:

• Is down to the professional judgement of the staff concerned
• Should always depend on individual circumstances

If you need to use reasonable force to respond to risks presented by incidents involving children with SEN, disabilities, mental health problems or medical conditions, you should:

• Carefully recognise the additional vulnerability of these groups
• Consider your duties under the Equality Act 2010