The KCSIE policy document provides a wealth of helpful information that our members value. However, at 172 pages it respresents a breadth and depth of knowledge that can feel overwhelming for school staff and leaders.
 
The KCSIE guidance is expected to be read alongside Working together to safeguard children and advice for practitioners on What to do if you are worried a child is being abused. This is carefully synthesised information that constitutes a further 134 pages of advice. 

Schools require sufficient time to read, know and understand these safeguarding expectations each year. This requires protected CPD time. In ASCL’s Blueprint for a Fairer Education System we recommend schools and colleges are provided with more time for engaging with professional learning.

The timing of the annual release of the KCSIE guidance is important. Schools require time to incorporate changes and update policies (to ensure integration across) and plan dissemination and training in line with the annual publication of KCSIE. 

Publication of KCSIE usually comes late in the summer term which means school leaders need to spend the summer break preparing for implementation in the autumn. If the government were instead able to publish the week before the May half term this would allow time for DSL and leadership planning.

Safeguarding responsibilities are whole school responsibilities. This needs to be made even clearer in the guidance.

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