The latest statutory guidance for safeguarding children in England is Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026. The Department for Education published the guidance in March 2026, replacing the 2023 edition.
Working Together sets the framework, but two more documents shape daily practice. Schools and colleges follow Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026. A new information-sharing duty also began on 30 September 2026. Your role and setting decide which apply.
Once you know which documents apply, you need to learn them properly. Our Safeguarding Children Level 3 CPD course is an online programme on safeguarding children duties. You study when your shifts allow, so learning fits around work. You finish with a clearer grasp of your safeguarding responsibilities.
Several web pages still cite Working Together 2023, so check the date on every source. Three sources are current, and each has its own start date.
Private and voluntary organisations should also hold safeguarding policies. Paid staff and volunteers share the same responsibilities. A private tutoring company should therefore hold a child safeguarding policy. Your organisation type decides which documents you follow.
Working Together and KCSIE apply in England, and each UK nation sets its own child protection guidance. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own frameworks on government websites. Check the guidance for the nation where you work.
Three documents changed in 2026, and each affects a different group of readers. Working Together 2026 replaced the 2023 edition in March, and KCSIE 2026 took effect on 1 September. The information sharing duty followed on 30 September.
Together, they changed information sharing, staff briefing and serious incident reviews. The sections below take each change in turn, starting with Working Together.
Working Together 2026 widens the scope of the guidance and tightens how partners learn from serious incidents.
KCSIE 2026 expects every member of school and college staff to read Part One. The shorter Annex A version is gone, so one standard applies to all staff. Annex C lists every change, so read Annex C before revising your policy.
Section 16LA requires named organisations to share information when sharing helps another organisation protect a child. The duty covers information about the child and about other people linked to the child. A child does not need to meet a section 47 threshold first.
The duty stops applying where sharing would be more detrimental to the child. The guidance also lists data protection, consent and confidentiality as misinterpreted barriers.
Managers should audit policies against all three documents, and staff should know whom to tell. The Royal Open College’s Safeguarding Decision Tree helps you work through a concern and plan next steps. The tool does not replace your Designated Safeguarding Lead, local authority guidance or employer procedures.
In one school, the office manager checks the policy against KCSIE 2026. The manager then briefs support staff on Part one.
Old editions and mixed-up duties leave gaps in policies and practice. Check your materials against these points.
Always check the current edition of Working Together to Safeguard Children on GOV.UK.
Royal Open College offers the Safeguarding Children Level 3 course as CPD learning. Working Together 2026 says practitioners need appropriate training to recognise abuse and know when to share information. The course gives you structured study time on safeguarding children. The course is CPD learning, not a regulated qualification.
Check your employer’s training requirements for your role before you enrol. Next, confirm which of the three documents covers your setting.
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Safeguarding children training costs £10 to £65 online in the UK. Local safeguarding partnership courses cost £30 to £100, and live specialist courses start near £125. Prices vary because many sellers discount list prices. Check what the price includes before you buy.
Level 3 safeguarding children courses are available through NHS e-learning, local safeguarding partnerships and online CPD providers. The right route depends on your role and employer. This guide maps routes to healthcare, education and wider children’s workforce roles. It also shows how to check which level you need.
Five routes lead to an accredited adult safeguarding certificate in the UK. They include CPD courses, Ofqual-regulated awards, the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate, Diplomas in Adult Care and NHS framework training. This guide matches each route to a role and shows how to verify a certificate.
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