KCSIE 2022 Guidance: Safeguarding Training and Policy Updates

Main updates on the full guidance

The Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance for schools and colleges. Below, you’ll find a list of the key points covered by the latest version, which educators should be particularly aware of.

• School governors and trustees must receive safeguarding training, including online safety training. This should be received as part of their induction and be regularly updated.

• Guidance highlights the importance of talking to parents about children’s access to online sites when away from school.

• ‘Peer-on-peer’ abuse has been amended to ‘child-on-child’ abuse.

• To strengthen safer recruitment, schools may carry out digital background checks on new staff. CVs should only be considered when they accompany a full application form.

• When a pupil moves to a new setting, safeguarding and child-protection files must now be transferred within five school days.

• An ‘appropriate adult’ must be in attendance during police investigations.

• New information has been added to explain the impact of domestic abuse.

• The DfE sexual violence and sexual harassment guidance has been incorporated in the KCSIE guidance.

New Government guidance: Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022

To stay compliant, ask every member of staff to read Part 1 of KCSIE and review your safeguarding policies and procedures against the points below.

If you find training is required to fill in some of the gaps, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

‍

What are the main changes in KCSIE 2022?

• Digital background checks for new staff and volunteers

• Increased focus on mental health and wellbeing

• Enhanced training requirements for safeguarding leads

• Emphasis on online-safety and cyberbullying awareness