Legislation & national guidance

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026

The Department for Education has now published Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026, alongside a refreshed statutory framework, a summary of changes, and new practice‑support guidance to help local areas embed the reforms. Together, these documents set the national expectations for how partners work collaboratively to support, protect and safeguard children and families.

You can access the full documents and summaries via GOV.UK:

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2021) +

This guidance applies to all schools and colleges and is for:

headteachers, teachers and staff
governing bodies, proprietors and management committees

It sets out the legal duties you must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 in schools and colleges.

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021

Legislation +

There are lots of different pieces of legislation and guidance that we use to safeguard children and young people at risk of abuse and neglect. Click on the relevant links below

Adoption and Children Act 2002

Adoption and Children Act 2006

Children Act 2004

Children Act 1989

Children & Social Work Act 2017

Children and Family Act 2014

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015

Domestic Violence, Crime and Victim Act 2004

Education Act 2002

Equality Act 2010

Freedom of Information Act 2000