Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE): September 2021 changes

Last reviewed on 3 September 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 32908

A new version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) came into force on 1 September. Find out what's changed and what your governing board needs to do.

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Contents

  1. Key things for you to know
  2. Next steps 
  3. Condensed version of part 1 (annex A)
  4. Part 1: safeguarding information for all staff 
  5. Part 2: the management of safeguarding 
  6. Part 3: more details on safer recruitment measures 
  7. Part 4: handling allegations against staff
  8. Part 5: child-on-child sexual violence and sexual harassment
  9. Annex B: specific safeguarding issues 
  10. Annex C: role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Key things for you to know

Read the details in the sections below, but the most important things to know are:

  • Staff who don't work directly with children can read a condensed version of part 1 (annex A)
  • There's new guidance and expectations around tackling sexual violence and harassment (including peer-on-peer abuse)
  • There's new information on what your school's child protection policy should include
  • There's updated guidance on the two levels of allegations against staff, those that may meet the harms threshold and those that don't (low level concerns)
  • Guidance on online safety has been moved to part 2 to give it more prominence (previously in annex C)
  • There's new best practice advice on recruitment processes and updated guidance on conducting pre-employment checks

The 2021 version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) came into force on 1 September. 

Talk to your headteacher about training for staff on KCSIE 2021 and how to tackle sexism and

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