The long awaited draft Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 has finally been published.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 will come into effect from 1st September 2023.
Key changes are:
• Filtering and monitoring – following the revisions to the Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges in March this year schools should comply with the filtering and monitoring standard and all staff should have an understanding of their roles and responsibility in this, led by the designated safeguarding lead team. Schools should also consider implementing the cyber security standards also contained within the Digital Standards document.
• There is emphasis on children who are absent from education to reflect children who may be away from schools and colleges for prolonged periods.
• If a school is used for non-school related activities by an external group they are expected to comply with the guidance on Keeping children safe in out of school settings. In addition if a school receives information or an allegation about someone concerning the out of school activities schools should follow their own safeguarding procedures including informing the LADO.
• In relation to safer recruitment guidance has been given that schools should inform applicants that an online search will take place on shortlisted candidates; there is clarification on the retention of documents.
• There is revision to wording from ‘discipline in schools’ to ‘sanctions in schools’, to reflect the changes to the Behaviour in schools guidance
Also included within the document are revised links and updated information on mental health, prevent, radicalisation & Channel and forced marriages.
The 2022 edition of Keeping Children Safe in Education should continue to be followed until 31st August 2023.
