28th January 2022

On 11th January 2022, the Department for Education launched a fresh consultation on proposed revisions to the statutory guidance document, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) with a view to making changes for September 2022.

Key revisions of most relevance to HR processes and procedures in schools and colleges include:

Proposed Changes to Part Two: The Management of Safeguarding

• New requirement that that all governors and trustees should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training
• New information regarding the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty linking these legal duties and safeguarding
• Edits to the content to increasing the prominence of guidance around the DSL role and the full DSL role description

Proposed Changes to Part Three: Safer Recruitment

• Clarification that to support safer recruitment a CV should only be accepted alongside a full application form
• The inclusion of new guidance that schools should consider online searches as part of their due diligence checks on shortlisted candidates

Proposed Changes to Part Four:  Allegations made against/Concerns raised in relation to teachers, including supply teachers, other staff, volunteers, and contractors

• Additional clarification included that ‘learning lessons’ applies to all  cases not just those which are concluded and found to be substantiated
• Clarification that the important factor in reporting “low level” concerns is that clear processes are in place (Schools and colleges are free to decide how reports are made and who they are reported to)

The consultation closes on 8th March 2022. You can find full details of the proposed changes here: Keeping children safe in education - schools and colleges - proposed revisions 2022 - Department for Education - Citizen Space

We will, of course, keep you updated on the outcome of the consultation in due course.