Upcoming changes in KCSIE 2024 – what to look out for
The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance is a crucial framework for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in educational settings across the UK. KCSIE sets out the legal duties that schools and colleges must follow to protect children from harm and ensure their safety and well-being.
Each year, updates and revisions are made to the KCSIE guidance to ensure it remains relevant and effective in addressing the evolving challenges faced by educational institutions.
In this blog, we’ll delve into the key updates and their implications.
Online Safety and Digital Literacy
The revised KCSIE places strong emphasis on online safety education. Schools must educate students about responsible internet use, cyberbullying prevention, and privacy protection. -Staff training will cover recognizing online risks and supporting students in navigating digital spaces safely.
Peer-on-Peer Abuse
The definition of peer-on-peer abuse has expanded to include harmful behaviours beyond physical violence. This encompasses emotional, sexual, and financial abuse. Schools must have clear procedures for reporting and addressing such incidents.
Mandatory Reporting
The duty to report concerns about child abuse or neglect now explicitly extends to all staff members, not just designated safeguarding leads. Schools must ensure that staff understand their responsibilities and know how to report concerns.
Contextual Safeguarding
KCSIE 2024 acknowledges that safeguarding extends beyond the school premises. It encourages schools to consider the broader context in which students live. Collaborating with external agencies, such as social services and police, is crucial to effectively address contextual risks.
Safer Recruitment
Stricter guidelines for safer recruitment processes are now in place. Schools must conduct thorough background checks on all staff, including volunteers. The Single Central Record (SCR) should be meticulously maintained, documenting all checks and references.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
KCSIE 2024 provides clearer guidance on identifying and responding to CSE. Schools must train staff to recognize signs and take appropriate action. Early intervention and prevention are emphasized.
Serious Violence and Gangs
Schools are now required to address serious violence and gang-related issues. This includes educating students about the risks and providing support. Collaboration with local authorities and police is essential.
Children Missing Education (CME)
Schools must actively track students who go missing from education. The focus is on identifying vulnerable children and ensuring their safety. Clear procedures for reporting and monitoring CME cases are crucial.
As software service providers for educators, it is our responsibility to stay informed about these upcoming changes and help you to implement them effectively. By prioritising safeguarding, we create safer environments for your students to learn and thrive.
CURA uses clearance levels, affinities, severity, elapsed time and accumulation to create an effective referral system – informing relevant staff of safeguarding issues as they arise.
It ensures staff and pastoral carers that their concerns are being looked into and gives peace of mind that their obligations to those in their care are being met.
CURA is a must, not a maybe. Book your free demo.
