As a mum of four, I’ve spent many years navigating everything that comes with school life. There have been lovely moments, proud moments and, inevitably, some difficult ones too. One thing I’ve always felt particularly strongly about is bullying and the effect it can have on children, whether they’re just starting primary school or finding their feet as teenagers.
Over the years, I’ve seen how differently bullying can affect children. What one child might brush off can have a lasting impact on another, and it’s made me take a keen interest in how schools support children’s safety, happiness and wellbeing.
So when I recently came across Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), I was genuinely surprised that I’d never heard of it. After all these years of having children in education, here was a document setting out what schools and colleges in England are expected to do to keep children safe, and I didn’t even know it existed. It made me wonder how many other parents were in the same position.
We all know schools have safeguarding policies, but how many of us actually understand what they mean in practice? What should happen if your child tells a teacher they’re being bullied? When does bullying become a safeguarding concern? And what can you do if you feel your child’s school isn’t taking your worries seriously?
These are questions I wanted answers to, so I started looking into the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 guidance.
I found information I think every parent should have access to, without having to work through almost 200 pages of government guidance. So I’ve put together this guide to explain what KCSIE means for our children, what responsibilities schools have and what we, as parents, can do when we’re worried about their safety or wellbeing.
What is Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)?
Keeping Children Safe in Education, usually shortened to KCSIE, is statutory guidance published by the Department for Education. It explains the safeguarding responsibilities of schools and colleges in England, including how they should recognise concerns about children’s welfare, respond to possible abuse or neglect and protect pupils from harm.
The current version, KCSIE 2026, came into force on 1 September 2026.
It applies to primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, special schools and relevant sixth-form and further education settings in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own safeguarding arrangements.
Although we often associate safeguarding with protecting children from physical abuse, KCSIE covers much more. It addresses issues including emotional abuse, serious bullying, online harm, sexual harassment, exploitation and the additional barriers some children face when trying to tell adults that something is wrong.
Is KCSIE a legal requirement?
KCSIE isn’t a law in itself, but it is statutory guidance, meaning schools and colleges must have regard to it when carrying out their safeguarding duties.
You’ll notice the document uses the words must and should quite deliberately. Must refers to a legal requirement, while should indicates something schools are expected to follow unless there’s a good reason to depart from the guidance.
Parents don’t need to understand every piece of legislation behind KCSIE. What matters is knowing that schools have established safeguarding responsibilities and procedures, and that you can ask how those arrangements are being followed when you’re worried about your child.
You can read the full guidance on the Department for Education website.
What’s changed in KCSIE 2026?
The guidance is updated periodically, and the 2026 version includes changes relating to areas such as prejudice-based harm, mental health and the recognition of children who have caring responsibilities at home.
One particularly notable change is that all school and college staff must now read Part One of KCSIE in full. Previously, a shorter version was available for some staff. The Department for Education still provides a staff overview, but this is now intended as a quick reference rather than a substitute for reading Part One.
I think that’s significant because children don’t always choose to confide in their class teacher. Sometimes it’s a teaching assistant, lunchtime supervisor or another familiar adult they feel comfortable talking to. Everyone working in a school needs to know how to recognise concerns and what to do with them.
What safeguarding responsibilities do schools have?
When we send our children to school, we trust that the adults looking after them know how to keep them safe. Until I started researching KCSIE, though, I hadn’t given much thought to the systems schools are expected to have in place or what should happen when something goes wrong.
Every school should have clear safeguarding procedures, and staff need to understand how to recognise concerns about a child’s welfare and what to do with that information. This includes appropriate safeguarding training, keeping records of concerns and following safer recruitment procedures when employing people to work with children.
One thing I found reassuring is that safeguarding isn’t just the headteacher’s responsibility. Teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors and other school staff all have a part to play. A child might feel more comfortable confiding in a familiar teaching assistant than approaching someone with an official safeguarding title, so it’s important that everyone knows how to respond.
Schools are also expected to record safeguarding concerns appropriately, including the decisions made and any action taken. This matters particularly when incidents happen repeatedly, because information gathered over time may reveal a pattern that isn’t immediately obvious from one incident alone.
Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)?
Every school covered by KCSIE should have a Designated Safeguarding Lead, usually referred to as the DSL. This is a senior member of staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.
The DSL supports other staff when concerns arise, helps decide what action may be needed and coordinates referrals to children’s social care or other agencies where appropriate. They also help ensure safeguarding information is recorded and handled properly.
You don’t need to contact the DSL every time your child has a disagreement with a friend. However, if you’re worried about serious bullying, threatening behaviour, abuse or anything else that might affect your child’s safety, they’re an important person to know about.
Most schools publish their DSL’s name and contact details on their website. If yours doesn’t, you can ask the school office who holds the role and how parents should get in touch.
Where can parents find their school’s safeguarding policies?
Before researching this article, I knew schools had safeguarding policies, but I can’t say I’d ever made a point of reading them. I suspect plenty of other parents are the same.
You can usually find the relevant documents on your child’s school website under Safeguarding, Child Protection or School Policies. If they’re not easy to locate, ask the school for a copy.
There are three documents I’d particularly recommend familiarising yourself with:
- Child protection policy: Explains how the school recognises and responds to safeguarding concerns, including who to contact.
- Behaviour and anti-bullying policy: Sets out the school’s approach to pupil behaviour and how bullying is addressed.
- Complaints procedure: Explains how parents can raise concerns formally if they haven’t been resolved through the usual channels.
You don’t need to memorise these policies, and hopefully you’ll never have reason to refer to them during a difficult situation. But knowing who the safeguarding lead is and where to find the school’s procedures can make a real difference if you’re ever worried about your child.
For me, the most reassuring part of KCSIE is knowing that safeguarding shouldn’t depend on whether one particular teacher notices a problem. Schools should have systems that allow concerns to be recognised, passed to the right people and dealt with appropriately.
That doesn’t mean schools can prevent every difficult experience or guarantee that nothing will ever go wrong. It does mean parents can ask how concerns are being handled and what support is available when their child needs help.
When does bullying become a safeguarding concern?
Bullying is something I’ve always felt strongly about, particularly because I’ve seen how differently it can affect children throughout their school years. Some children seem able to move on from an unpleasant experience fairly quickly, while others can lose confidence, become anxious about school or carry the effects for much longer.
As parents, we know that children fall out with their friends. There will be disagreements, changing friendships and the occasional unkind comment. That’s part of growing up, even if it isn’t always pleasant. But there’s a difference between an argument and behaviour that repeatedly humiliates, intimidates or frightens a child.
What surprised me when reading KCSIE was discovering that serious bullying, including cyberbullying, can be recognised as a form of emotional abuse.
I think that’s something more parents need to know, especially when bullying doesn’t involve physical violence. Sometimes the effects of bullying aren’t immediately obvious, and it can be difficult to know whether your child is having a bad week or needs extra support.
It’s also important to remember that tackling bullying means addressing the behaviour of children who hurt others, not just supporting those who experience it. Parents may find my advice on helping children stop being mean to other kids useful when navigating these conversations at home.
Bullying doesn’t have to be physical to cause harm
When we hear about bullying, we might picture a child being pushed around in the playground. But repeated name-calling, threats, humiliation, deliberate exclusion and online harassment can also have a serious effect on a child’s wellbeing.
KCSIE recognises that children can abuse other children, something the guidance refers to as child-on-child abuse. This can include serious bullying, sexual harassment and other harmful behaviour, whether it happens at school or online.
Of course, not every disagreement or unkind comment amounts to abuse. Schools have behaviour and anti-bullying policies to deal with everyday incidents, and not every bullying concern requires a referral to children’s social care.
However, schools shouldn’t dismiss potentially harmful behaviour as harmless banter simply because the children involved are young or because there hasn’t been any physical violence. For parents of older children, I’ve also shared practical advice on how to handle bullying at secondary school.
Why the impact on your child matters
Having raised four children, one thing I’ve learnt is that you can’t always tell how much something is affecting a child from the outside. Some will talk openly about what’s happening, while others might become withdrawn, irritable or increasingly reluctant to go to school.
Perhaps your child has started complaining of stomach aches in the morning, seems worried about particular lessons or no longer enjoys activities they previously loved. There can be many reasons for changes like these, but if bullying is involved, it’s important that the school understands how your child is being affected.
When raising concerns, I’d encourage parents to explain the wider picture rather than focusing on one incident alone. Has the behaviour happened repeatedly? Is your child frightened of another pupil? Is it affecting their confidence, friendships or attendance? Have previous attempts to resolve the problem made any difference?
These details can help the school recognise when a situation needs more than an ordinary behaviour response.
What should parents do if bullying continues?
If you’ve spoken to your child’s teacher but the bullying is continuing, put your concerns in writing. Explain what’s been happening, how your child is feeling and what steps have already been taken.
Ask what the school intends to do to prevent further incidents and how it will support your child. If you’re concerned that the bullying is causing serious harm or making your child feel unsafe, you can also contact the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
The school may be able to address the problem through its behaviour procedures and pastoral support, or it may need to consider a safeguarding response. That depends on the circumstances and the level of risk.
The important distinction is that bullying doesn’t have to result in a formal child protection referral to deserve a serious response.
For me, this is what makes understanding KCSIE so valuable. It gives parents a clearer idea of when bullying may become a safeguarding issue and helps us ask better questions when we’re worried about our children.
Ultimately, what matters isn’t which policy the school uses. It’s whether the behaviour stops, appropriate support is provided, and our children feel safe enough to get on with their education.
How does KCSIE protect children with SEND?
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can face additional challenges when it comes to bullying and safeguarding. Some may find it harder to explain what’s happened, recognise when someone’s behaviour is inappropriate or feel confident enough to tell an adult that something is wrong.
KCSIE makes it clear that schools need to be aware of these additional vulnerabilities and consider how a child’s individual needs might affect their safety.
One particularly important point is that adults shouldn’t automatically assume changes in a child’s behaviour are simply part of their SEND. If a child becomes withdrawn, distressed or reluctant to attend school, there may be something else happening that needs investigating.
Schools also need to recognise that children with SEND may be disproportionately affected by bullying without necessarily showing obvious signs of distress. Communication difficulties or barriers to reporting concerns can make it harder for some children to get the help they need.
What should parents expect from schools?
If your child has SEND and you’re worried about their safety or wellbeing at school, you should expect staff to take their individual needs into account when listening to concerns and deciding how to respond.
That might mean allowing extra time for a child to explain what happened, using communication methods they’re comfortable with or involving staff who understand their needs.
The school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) may need to work together to ensure the right support is in place.
For parents, it’s worth being clear about anything that might make it difficult for your child to report bullying or explain how they’re feeling. You know your child, and that understanding can be valuable when the school is deciding how best to support them.
If you need independent advice about SEND provision or your child’s rights in education, your local SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) can offer free, impartial guidance.
Ultimately, safeguarding should never take a one-size-fits-all approach. Every child deserves to feel safe at school, and some children will need additional support to make sure their concerns are heard and understood.
What should happen when a child tells a teacher they feel unsafe?
It takes courage for a child to tell an adult that something is wrong, particularly if they’re frightened, embarrassed or worried about what might happen afterwards. Whether they’re experiencing bullying, feeling threatened by another pupil or concerned about something happening outside school, they need to know they’ll be listened to.
Under KCSIE, school staff are expected to know how to respond when a child shares a safeguarding concern. They should listen carefully, take what the child says seriously and avoid asking leading questions or attempting to investigate the situation themselves.
Staff shouldn’t promise to keep the information secret, because they may need to share it with the people responsible for protecting the child. However, information should only be shared with those who need it for safeguarding purposes.
If a child makes a disclosure, staff should follow the school’s safeguarding procedures, including making an appropriate record and passing the concern to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), or a deputy, as required.
Will the school tell parents?
In many situations, involving parents is an important part of helping a child feel safe and supported. However, there are circumstances where contacting a parent immediately could put a child at greater risk or interfere with safeguarding action.
For that reason, schools need to consider the individual circumstances rather than following a blanket rule about when parents should be informed.
This doesn’t mean parents should be left out of discussions about their child’s wellbeing without good reason. If your child has reported bullying or another concern and you’re unsure what’s happening, it’s reasonable to ask the school what support is being provided and how it plans to keep your child safe.
You may not be entitled to confidential information about another pupil, but you can still ask questions about the arrangements being made for your own child.
What happens after a concern is reported?
The next steps depend on what has happened and how serious the concern is. Sometimes the school may be able to address the situation through pastoral support, its behaviour procedures or additional supervision. More serious concerns may require advice from children’s social care or a referral to another appropriate agency.
What matters is that the response is proportionate to the risk and that concerns aren’t simply forgotten once the initial conversation has taken place.
As a parent, I’d want to know that my child had been listened to, that someone had considered what needed to happen next and that there was a plan to support them.
Children don’t always find it easy to speak up a second time, particularly if they feel nothing changed after the first conversation. Making sure they know who they can approach and that their concerns will be taken seriously is an important part of helping them feel safe at school.
What if your child’s school doesn’t take your concerns seriously?
It can be incredibly frustrating when you’ve raised concerns, attended meetings or exchanged emails, yet your child is still unhappy or frightened about school.
The next step depends on whether you’re dealing with an ordinary behaviour complaint, a safeguarding concern or an allegation involving a member of staff.
If bullying or behaviour problems continue
Start by putting your concerns in writing if you haven’t already. Explain what’s happened, when it occurred, how your child has been affected and what you’ve previously discussed with the school.
You can ask what measures are being considered to prevent further incidents, who will be responsible for following up and when the situation can be reviewed.
If the matter remains unresolved, check the school’s published complaints procedure. The process differs between maintained schools, academies and independent schools, so it’s worth following the arrangements that apply to your child’s school.
The government’s guide to complaining about a school explains the available routes.
If you believe your child is at risk of harm
You don’t have to complete the school’s complaints procedure before seeking safeguarding help.
If you’re worried that your child may be experiencing abuse or neglect, you can contact the school’s DSL or your local authority children’s social care service directly.
You don’t need to investigate the situation yourself or prove abuse has happened before reporting a genuine concern. The relevant professionals can assess the information and decide what response is appropriate.
A referral doesn’t automatically mean a formal child protection investigation will follow. Some children may need other forms of support, depending on their circumstances.
You can find the relevant local authority contact details through GOV.UK’s child abuse reporting service.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
What if your concern involves a teacher or another adult?
KCSIE contains specific procedures for concerns and allegations involving adults who work in schools, including teachers, support staff, volunteers and contractors.
The usual route is to report concerns about a member of staff to the headteacher or principal. If the concern involves the headteacher, follow the alternative reporting arrangements in the school’s safeguarding policy, which may involve the chair of governors, academy trust or proprietor.
Some serious allegations may need to be considered through the local authority’s allegations management arrangements, involving the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Not every complaint about a teacher meets this threshold, but parents shouldn’t feel they must investigate an allegation before reporting it.
Ofsted may consider certain wider concerns about how a school operates, including safeguarding arrangements, but it doesn’t normally investigate individual child protection cases or resolve personal disputes between parents and schools. Where a child may be at risk of harm, children’s social care or the police are the more appropriate contacts.
Does safeguarding apply outside the classroom?
Children’s worries don’t necessarily stop at the school gates. Bullying can happen on the journey home, through messages sent over the weekend or during activities away from the classroom.
KCSIE recognises that children may experience harm inside or outside school, including online. Although schools aren’t responsible for supervising everything pupils do in their free time, behaviour outside school can still affect a child’s safety and wellbeing.
For example, if your child receives threatening messages from another pupil on a Sunday evening and is frightened about seeing them on Monday morning, it’s reasonable to report the situation to school.
Schools have powers to respond to certain behaviour outside their premises, including harmful online behaviour involving pupils. The appropriate response depends on the circumstances and may involve behaviour procedures, safeguarding support or outside agencies.
School-organised trips and residential visits also require suitable safeguarding arrangements. If your child has additional needs or you’re concerned about supervision, you can ask how these will be managed.
Independently run after-school clubs are slightly different. A private sports club or activity provider using school premises may have its own safeguarding responsibilities and procedures rather than being covered by every requirement that applies to the school. It’s worth checking who is responsible for safeguarding and how parents should report concerns.
The Department for Education provides separate safeguarding advice for parents using out-of-school settings.
What should parents do if they’re worried about their child’s safety at school?
Knowing what KCSIE says is useful, but when it’s your own child who’s upset or frightened, you need to know what to do next.
I would suggest starting with these practical steps:
- Listen to your child. Give them time to explain what’s happening without rushing them or asking leading questions. Reassure them that they’ve done the right thing by telling you.
- Consider the urgency. If they’re in immediate danger, call 999. For concerns about possible abuse or neglect, you can contact children’s social care directly.
- Make a brief written record. Include dates, what your child has told you, how they’re being affected and any relevant previous incidents. Keep emails or appropriate screenshots securely, but don’t copy or forward sexual images involving children.
- Contact the right person. For everyday behaviour concerns, this may be the class teacher, form tutor or pastoral team. For possible safeguarding concerns, contact the DSL.
- Ask about support. Find out what measures are being considered to help your child feel safe, who is responsible and how the school will review the situation.
- Follow up if necessary. Keep a record of agreed actions and raise further incidents promptly. If the situation continues, use the appropriate complaints or safeguarding route.
You don’t need a perfectly organised file or a detailed understanding of safeguarding terminology before asking for help. A written record is useful, particularly where incidents are repeated, but it should never delay you from reporting an urgent concern.
Example email to your child’s safeguarding lead
If you’re struggling to find the right words, this is a simple starting point that you can adapt to your situation.
Subject: Concern about my child’s safety and wellbeing at school
Dear [DSL’s name],
I’m writing because I’m concerned about my child’s safety and wellbeing at school and would appreciate your advice and support.
My child has told me that [briefly explain what has happened, including relevant dates or incidents].
I’m particularly worried because [explain how the situation is affecting your child].
Could you please let me know how these concerns will be considered, what support may be appropriate and who will be responsible for following up?
I understand that some information may need to remain confidential, particularly where other children are involved, but I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss arrangements to help my child feel safe at school.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
Can parents ask to see safeguarding records?
Schools should keep appropriate safeguarding records, but parents don’t automatically have a right to see everything in their child’s safeguarding file.
Under data protection law, children have their own rights to access personal information. Parents may be able to make a subject access request on their behalf, depending on the child’s maturity, understanding and circumstances.
Schools must also consider relevant exemptions and the privacy of other people, so some information may need to be withheld or redacted.
The usual deadline for responding to a subject access request is one calendar month, although extensions are permitted in certain circumstances. Separate rules may apply to requests for educational records.
You can find more information in the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance.
Even where the school cannot share confidential records, you can still ask how your concerns have been considered and what support is being provided for your child.
Frequently asked questions about KCSIE
Does KCSIE apply to primary schools?
Yes. KCSIE applies to primary schools, secondary schools and other relevant education settings in England. Safeguarding responsibilities apply regardless of a child’s age, although the risks and support needed may differ.
What’s the difference between safeguarding and child protection?
Safeguarding is the broader responsibility to protect children from harm and promote their welfare. Child protection is part of safeguarding and focuses on protecting individual children who are suspected to be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.
Can parents contact the safeguarding lead directly?
Yes. You can contact the school’s DSL if you’re worried about your child’s safety or welfare. If you don’t know who holds the role, ask the school office or check its safeguarding policy.
Can bullying be emotional abuse?
Yes, serious bullying can amount to emotional abuse, depending on its nature and impact. This includes some forms of persistent verbal bullying and cyberbullying. However, not every bullying incident automatically requires a child protection referral.
Does KCSIE cover online bullying outside school hours?
It can. Schools may need to respond to harmful online behaviour involving pupils, particularly where it affects another child’s safety or wellbeing at school.
Do schools have to tell parents about every safeguarding concern?
Not necessarily. Parents are often involved, but information may sometimes need to be withheld where sharing it could place a child at risk or interfere with safeguarding action.
What if I disagree with the school’s decision?
You can ask the school to explain how it has considered your concerns and follow its complaints procedure where appropriate. If you believe a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, you can contact children’s social care directly without waiting for the complaints process to finish.
Where can parents find further advice and support?
There are several organisations and official resources worth knowing about:
- Keeping Children Safe in Education – the official Department for Education guidance for schools and colleges in England.
- GOV.UK: Bullying at School – information about school responsibilities and what parents can do.
- NSPCC – advice about child safety and abuse. Adults can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
- Childline – free support for children and young people on 0800 1111.
- Kidscape – practical advice for children and families affected by bullying.
- Family Lives – parenting support, including help with school and family difficulties.
- UK Safer Internet Centre – advice about keeping children safe online.
- Report Remove – a service helping under-18s report nude or sexual images of themselves shared online.
If you believe a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect, contact your local authority children’s social care service. If they’re in immediate danger, call 999.
Why I think every parent should know about KCSIE
When I first came across Keeping Children Safe in Education, I was genuinely surprised that I didn’t already know more about it. After all, I’ve spent years navigating school life with four children, and I’ve always taken a keen interest in education, bullying and children’s wellbeing.
I don’t think parents should have to become experts in safeguarding law to understand what schools are expected to do when a child needs help. Nor should we only discover these policies when something has already gone wrong.
Knowing that KCSIE exists, understanding who the safeguarding lead is and being familiar with your school’s policies can make it easier to ask questions and raise concerns when necessary.
Guidance alone can’t prevent every incident of bullying or harm, and schools won’t always get everything right. What matters is that children are listened to, concerns are considered properly, and appropriate action is taken when support is needed.
My hope is that this guide helps other parents feel more informed and confident about working with their child’s school, while also knowing where to turn if they need further help.
Every child deserves to feel safe at school, and parents deserve to know what they can do when they’re worried.