New child protection guidance puts AI at the heart of school safeguarding this term
Schools across England must put into place the biggest overhaul of statutory safeguarding guidance in years as Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 comes into force on September 1st.
As students return to classrooms across England schools and colleges are putting the finishing touches to what safeguarding experts are calling one of the most significant updates to child protection guidance. Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026, published by the Department for Education (DfE), is statutory from the 1st of September. This is the first time artificial intelligence, deepfakes and mobile phone use are placed at the centre of everyday safeguarding practice in education. The most closely watched change is to how the guidance defines harmful imagery. Under KCSIE 2026, th