WELCOME

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 Introduction and context The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 is one of the most significant reforms to children’s safeguarding, social care and education in a generation. It has now received Royal Assent and is law. While not all provisions take effect immediately, the Act establishes binding duties and a clear direction of travel for how agencies work together to keep children safe and support them to thrive. The Act responds directly to learning from serious child safeguarding practice reviews, national inspections, the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, and growing concerns about children missing education, fragmented information‑sharing, instability in the care market, and widening inequalities in children’s outcomes. At its core, the Act is about prevention, visibility and shared responsibility. It aims to ensure children are seen earlier, supported more effectively, and protected through stronger, more consistent mult...

Introduction and Context Forced marriage occurs when an individual is pressured or coerced into a marriage without their free and full consent. Coercion may be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or directed at third parties. The  Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007  introduced legal protections through Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs), later strengthened by the criminalisation of forced marriage in 2014. It is recognised as both a  domestic abuse issue  and, when a child is involved, a  child protection concern . Practitioners must respond in a culturally sensitive, trauma‑informed way. Difference Between Forced and Arranged Marriage An  arranged marriage  may involve family participation in introductions, but the individual retains the right to choose. A  forced marriage  removes or invalidates that choice through threats, pressure or abuse. Key distinctions include: Arranged marriage:  full, free, inform...

Introduction This briefing provides an overview of the updated Children’s Social Care National Framework, setting out the key elements of the statutory guidance and the recent changes made up to March 2026 - summarising the purpose of the framework, who it applies to, the practice expectations it establishes, and the significance of the latest updates within the wider context of children’s social care reform. What the guidance is: The Children’s Social Care National Framework is statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education to set out a unified national vision for children’s social care. It defines the purpose of children’s social care, the principles that should underpin practice, and the outcomes that local authorities and partners are expected to achieve for children, young people and families. The framework emphasises safeguarding throughout, supporting early help, decisive intervention where there is risk of harm, and ensuring children in care grow up with stabil...

This briefing provides an overview of the March 2026 update to Working Together to Safeguard Children, the statutory guidance that shapes how all agencies in England work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It summarises what the guidance is, who it applies to, the core principles it sets out, what has changed since the 2023 version, and why these updates matter for practice. It also highlights the key actions professionals and leaders need to take, along with links to essential supporting resources.

  What is FGM? Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to any procedure that injures, removes or alters the female genital organs for non‑medical reasons. It is widely recognised as a severe violation of human rights and a form of violence against women and girls. In the UK context, FGM is considered both a criminal act and a form of child abuse when carried out on a girl under 18. The procedure may occur at various ages, ranging from infancy to adolescence, before marriage, or even during pregnancy, and it frequently results in significant immediate pain as well as long-term physical, psychological, and reproductive health consequences. Although the World Health Organisation identifies four major types of FGM - clitoridectomy, excision, infibulation, and other harmful non‑medical procedures - these classifications are not formally embedded within UK legislation. However, they remain helpful for understanding the breadth of procedures professionals may encounter and are commonly...

KCSiE 2026 Consultation Download and share the printable KCSIE 2026 consultation summary: easy‑read review, action plan and next steps (click to download) Please note:  Read the draft in full.  The proposed revised guidance should be read in its entirety; safeguarding professionals should not rely solely on this or other summaries or overviews. Consultation snapshot What is the consultation:  DfE consultation on proposed revisions to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026, the statutory guidance setting out legal safeguarding duties for schools and colleges. Why it matters:   The 2026 draft represents one of the most significant structural shifts in recent years. It integrates findings from the Cass Review, addresses rapidly evolving technological risks, and moves multiple pastoral issues into the statutory safeguarding domain. Who should engage:   All safeguarding stakeholders in England, frontline staff, DSLs/deputie...