2020 Updates

Keeping Children Safe in Education is statutory guidance that schools and colleges in England must have regard to it when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The 2020 changes are mostly very minor and not requiring any major change to school practice.

Explicit statement that the COVID-19 safeguarding guidance has been withdrawn as schools are expected to open in full.
A link has been added to departmental advice Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Between Children in Schools and Colleges. This reinforces the emphasis on sexual violence and sexual harassment after Ofsted found this to be a common failing for schools last year.
A tweak to wording: Relationships Education (for all primary pupils) and Relationships and Sex Education (for all secondary pupils) and Health Education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) which was made compulsory in September 2020. Schools have flexibility to decide how they discharge their duties effectively within the first year of compulsory teaching and are encouraged to take a phased approach (if needed) when introducing these subjects (para 94).
A new resource has been added on homelessness: Homelessness: How local authorities should exercise their functions – Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government guidance and the cyberbullying resource has been removed.

Click here for additional useful guidance notes from The Safeguarding Network