Keeping Children Safe in Education
gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
2025 version live; 2026 not yet published.
Safeguarding in Schools — Reference Tracker
Safeguarding Guidance Documents
Verified gov.uk links and current status for every safeguarding, behaviour and welfare guidance document reviewed ahead of the new academic year.
Where a stable gov.uk link could not be confirmed, this is stated in the notes.
01 Child Protection / KCSIE-adjacent
Working Together to Safeguard Children
gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
2026 edition in force since 18 March 2026.
Boarding Schools: National Minimum Standards
gov.uk/government/publications/boarding-schools-national-minimum-standards
Updated 18 May 2026.
Residential Special Schools: National Minimum Standards
gov.uk/government/publications/residential-special-schools-national-minimum-standards
Updated 18 May 2026, same round as Boarding NMS.
Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006
gov.uk/government/publications/disqualification-under-the-childcare-act-2006
No change since 31 August 2018.
Regulated Activity in Relation to Children: Scope
gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
Hosted as a supporting document on the KCSIE page. Itself unrevised, but functionally superseded for the volunteer-supervision point from 1 September 2026 — see the Regulated Activity removal of supervision exemption entry below.
Regulated Activity: removal of the supervision exemption
gov.uk/.../regulated-activity-removal-of-the-supervision-exemption-comes-into-force-1-september-2026
Published 15 June 2026; in force 1 September 2026.
Multi-agency Statutory Guidance on FGM
gov.uk/government/publications/multi-agency-statutory-guidance-on-female-genital-mutilation
No change since 30 July 2020. Home Office e-learning module due a refresh in 2026 (training resource only).
What to do if you're worried a child is being abused
gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-youre-worried-a-child-is-being-abused--2
No change since 26 March 2015 — confirmed still the live, current document.
02 Behaviour, Attendance and Mental Health
Behaviour in Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2
No change since 19 February 2024.
School Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions
gov.uk/government/publications/school-suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions
New statutory guidance; in force 26 July 2026. Introduces “safeguarding separation” as distinct from disciplinary exclusion.
Searching, Screening and Confiscation
gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation
No change since 19 July 2023.
Mobile Phones in Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools
Updated January 2026. Becomes statutory 29 June 2026.
Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2
No change since 12 November 2018.
Restrictive Interventions (incl. reasonable force)
gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-reasonable-force-in-schools
New guidance hosted on this page; already in force since 1 April 2026.
Working Together to Improve School Attendance
gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
Updated 9 June 2026. Summary table of responsibilities shares this page.
Support for Pupils — Mental Health Affecting Attendance
No change since 7 February 2023.
Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions at School
gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3
2015/2017 guidance still live. Replacement (incl. Benedict’s Law allergy content) in consultation — do not present a mandatory duty as already in force.
Consultation: medical conditions and allergy guidance
gov.uk/government/consultations/proposal-on-support-for-pupils-with-medical-conditions-at-school
Closed 15 May 2026. Response expected summer 2026.
03 Online Safety, Digital and AI
Teaching Online Safety in Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools
No change since January 2023.
Sharing Nudes and Semi-Nudes — advice for education settings
No change since March 2024.
Sharing Nudes and Semi-Nudes — how to respond (overview)
gov.uk/.../sharing-nudes-and-semi-nudes-how-to-respond-to-an-incident-overview
Companion one-page summary.
Challenging Victim Blaming Language and Behaviours
gov.uk/.../challenging-victim-blaming-language-and-behaviours...
No change, ever.
Protecting Your Setting's Images from AI Manipulation and Abuse
No stable gov.uk URL identified — distributed via UK Safer Internet Centre / local safeguarding partnership networks rather than a standard gov.uk publication page.
Genuinely new, May 2026.
Data Protection: a Toolkit for Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/data-protection-toolkit-for-schools
Stale since 2018 — DfE has acknowledged but not fixed this.
Meeting Digital and Technology Standards in Schools and Colleges
gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges
Actively, rollingly updated — most recently 17 April 2026. Treat as an annual check item.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education
gov.uk/.../generative-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-education
Policy paper, updated 12 August 2025. Standalone tracked item.
Using AI in Education Settings: Support Materials
gov.uk/government/collections/using-ai-in-education-settings-support-materials
Published 10 June 2025.
04 Safer Recruitment, Staffing and Governance
Staffing and Employment Advice for Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/staffing-and-employment-advice-for-schools
No change since January 2021.
Teacher Misconduct (collection)
gov.uk/government/collections/teacher-misconduct
Collection page updated 31 March 2025 — new 2-year removal rule for published decisions.
Teacher Misconduct: the Prohibition of Teachers
gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-misconduct-the-prohibition-of-teachers--3
No change since February 2022.
Teacher Misconduct: Disciplinary Procedures
gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-misconduct-disciplinary-procedures
Current version May 2020. An earlier 2018 edition is explicitly marked obsolete by DfE.
Whistleblowing Procedure for Maintained Schools
gov.uk/guidance/whistleblowing-procedure-for-maintained-schools
No change since 2014.
Blowing the Whistle to the Department for Education
gov.uk/guidance/blowing-the-whistle-to-the-department-for-education
Updated 19 March 2026 — academy-facing reporting channel.
Better Hiring Toolkit for Education Supply Chains
Not on gov.uk — check betterhiringinstitute.co.uk directly for the current version.
Industry document (Better Hiring Institute), not DfE-published.
After-school Clubs, Community Activities and Tuition
gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-out-of-school-settings-code-of-practice
Updated to February 2026 edition.
British Schools Overseas: Standards for Schools
gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-standards-for-schools
No change since 15 August 2023.
Maintained Schools Governance Guide
gov.uk/government/publications/maintained-schools-governance-guide
Replaces the old combined Governance Handbook.
Academy Trust Governance Guide
gov.uk/.../academy-trust-governance-guide
Replaces the old combined Governance Handbook.
05 Prevent, CSE and County Lines
Prevent Duty Guidance (Home Office)
gov.uk/.../prevent-duty-guidance-for-england-and-wales-accessible
Now Home Office–owned and restructured. Replace older DfE-era files.
The Prevent Duty: Safeguarding Learners Vulnerable to Radicalisation
gov.uk/.../the-prevent-duty-safeguarding-learners-vulnerable-to-radicalisation
DSL-practical companion document — previously untracked.
Child Sexual Exploitation: Definition and Guide for Practitioners
gov.uk/government/publications/child-sexual-exploitation-definition-and-guide-for-practitioners
No change since February 2017. Surrounded by major 2026 legal reform — consider a companion piece rather than editing this document.
County Lines: Practical Guidance for Frontline Practitioners (MOJ)
Hosted via a direct PDF asset link rather than a stable publication page — access via the collection link below.
No change since 2019.
County Lines: Criminal Exploitation of Children and Vulnerable Adults (collection)
gov.uk/government/collections/county-lines-criminal-exploitation-of-children-and-vulnerable-adults
Links to practitioner guidance and programme data. Programme statistics updated frequently.
06 RSHE / RSE
Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education (statutory guidance)
gov.uk/.../relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education
New guidance for September 2026 published; 2019 version remains operative until then. Both held on this page.
07 Ofsted and EYFS
Ofsted: School Inspection — Toolkit, Operating Guides and Information
gov.uk/.../school-inspection-toolkit-operating-guide-and-information
Updated 12 June 2026. September 2026 update wave already published here, including allergy-policy inspection expectations.
EYFS Statutory Framework (group/school-based providers & childminders)
gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2
In force since 1 September 2025 — previously untracked. Substantial safeguarding strengthening.
08 Miscellaneous
Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners
gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sharing-advice
No change since 1 May 2024.
PACE Code C (Appropriate Adult provisions)
Hosted across legislation.gov.uk and Home Office PACE Codes pages rather than a single stable gov.uk URL. Note: the plain-language public guide for the appropriate adult role has been stale since 2003 — point readers to the National Appropriate Adult Network instead.
Barring Unsuitable Individuals from Managing Independent Schools (s128)
gov.uk/government/publications/barring-unsuitable-individuals-from-managing-independent-schools
Supersedes the old s128 letter format.
Individuals Prohibited from Managing or Governing Schools (live list)
gov.uk/government/collections/individuals-prohibited-from-managing-or-governing-schools
The list schools actually check for SCR purposes.
Promoting Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing
gov.uk/.../promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing
Stable since 2021 (re-tagged PHE→OHID only).
Promoting and Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools and Colleges
gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges
Live operational page (MHSTs, training grants) — previously untracked.
09 Underlying Legislation
Included for completeness only. The working tracker prioritises guidance documents over primary legislation — this entry exists because it underpins the Disqualification guidance above.
Childcare (Disqualification) and Childcare (EYP Free of Charge) (Extended Entitlement) (Amendment) Regulations 2018
legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/794/contents
Confirmed unamended.
