January is the ideal time to refresh your safeguarding policies. With a new year beginning and lessons from 2025 fresh in mind, now is a good moment to ensure your policies reflect current risks, legislative changes, and best practice.
Why Annual Policy Reviews Matter
Safeguarding policies aren't static documents. They must evolve with:
- Legislative updates and statutory guidance changes
- Emerging risks (technology, social trends, new threats)
- Lessons learned from incidents in your setting
- Feedback from staff, children, and external agencies
- Inspection findings and regulatory expectations
An outdated policy isn't just ineffective—it's a liability during inspections and incidents.
Key Legislative Changes for 2026
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
The latest KCSIE guidance includes important updates:
- Enhanced online safety requirements
- Clearer guidance on child-on-child sexual harassment
- Updated filtering and monitoring standards
- Strengthened mental health safeguarding links
- Revised information sharing protocols
Action: Review your child protection policy against the latest KCSIE, highlighting changes in red for governor approval.
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Recent updates emphasise:
- Multi-agency collaboration expectations
- Early help assessment frameworks
- Information sharing between agencies
- Safeguarding partnership responsibilities
Data Protection and GDPR
Ensure your policy balances:
- Lawful basis for processing safeguarding data
- Information sharing without consent when necessary
- Secure storage and retention schedules
- Subject access request procedures
Incorporating 2025 Lessons
Reflect on Your Setting's Experience
Review incidents from 2025:
- What patterns emerged?
- Were policies followed effectively?
- Did staff know what to do?
- What would you change?
Common 2025 themes to address:
- AI-generated inappropriate content
- Deepfake technology risks
- Gaming platform exploitation
- Mental health crisis escalation
- Cost-of-living impact on families
Learning from National Cases
High-profile safeguarding cases often reveal systemic issues. Consider:
- What went wrong elsewhere?
- Could similar gaps exist in your setting?
- How can your policy prevent comparable failures?
- What additional training might staff need?
Stakeholder Consultation
Effective policies require input from:
Staff Consultation
Ask your team:
- Is the policy clear and practical?
- What challenges do they face implementing it?
- What additional guidance would help?
- Are reporting procedures straightforward?
Governor/Trustee Input
Board responsibilities include:
- Approving policy changes
- Challenging implementation effectiveness
- Ensuring adequate resources
- Monitoring safeguarding culture
Child and Parent Voice
Consider gathering feedback on:
- How safe children feel
- Whether they know how to report concerns
- Parent understanding of safeguarding procedures
- Accessibility of information
External Agency Perspectives
Consult with:
- Local authority safeguarding partners
- Police school liaison officers
- Social services contacts
- Ofsted feedback from recent inspections
Addressing Current Risks
Online Safety and AI Concerns
Your policy should cover:
- Acceptable use of technology
- AI-generated content risks (deepfakes, chatbots)
- Social media platform dangers
- Gaming and streaming risks
- Staff use of AI tools with children's data
- Filtering and monitoring requirements
Mental Health as Safeguarding
Strengthen sections on:
- Recognising mental health concerns as safeguarding issues
- Links between wellbeing and vulnerability
- Early intervention pathways
- Working with CAMHS and mental health services
- Supporting staff mental health
Child-on-Child Abuse
Ensure comprehensive coverage of:
- Sexual harassment and violence
- Bullying (including cyberbullying)
- Initiation/hazing in sports settings
- Sharing of nudes and semi-nudes
- Peer-on-peer exploitation
Contextual Safeguarding
Address risks beyond your setting:
- County lines and criminal exploitation
- Gang involvement
- Online grooming
- Exploitation in the community
- Transport and travel safety
Policy Structure Best Practice
Essential Sections
- Introduction: Purpose, scope, legal framework
- Definitions: What constitutes abuse and neglect
- Roles and responsibilities: Who does what
- Recognition: Signs and indicators of harm
- Procedures: How to report and respond
- Record keeping: Documentation standards
- Information sharing: When and how
- Training: Requirements and frequency
- Safer recruitment: Pre-employment checks
- Allegations against staff: LADO procedures
- Specific safeguarding issues: Online safety, CSE, FGM, etc.
- Review arrangements: When policy is updated
Writing for Clarity
Effective policies are:
- Concise: Avoid unnecessary jargon
- Practical: Include clear action steps
- Accessible: Written for all staff, not just specialists
- Specific: Tailored to your setting, not generic templates
- Actionable: Staff know exactly what to do
The Review Process
Step 1: Assign Responsibility (Week 1)
- DSL leads the review
- Senior leadership supports
- Governor safeguarding lead involved
Step 2: Gap Analysis (Week 2)
- Compare current policy to latest guidance
- Identify missing or outdated sections
- Note legislative changes required
Step 3: Consultation (Week 3)
- Gather staff feedback
- Consult external partners
- Review incident data
Step 4: Drafting (Week 4)
- Incorporate all updates
- Ensure consistency across related policies
- Add annexes for specific issues
Step 5: Approval (Week 5)
- Present to governors/trustees
- Explain key changes
- Obtain formal approval
Step 6: Implementation (Week 6)
- Communicate changes to all staff
- Provide briefing sessions
- Update training materials
- Publish updated policy
Related Policies to Review Simultaneously
Safeguarding connects to multiple policies:
- Behaviour and discipline
- Anti-bullying
- Online safety and acceptable use
- Staff code of conduct
- Whistleblowing
- Safer recruitment
- Allegations against staff
- Health and safety
- First aid and medical needs
Ensure consistency across all policies.
Communication and Training
Launching Your Updated Policy
Effective rollout includes:
- All-staff briefing highlighting key changes
- Written summary of updates
- Q&A session for clarifications
- Updated induction materials
- Governor briefing
- Parent communication about relevant changes
Ongoing Awareness
- Include policy review in regular staff meetings
- Annual refresher training
- New starter inductions
- Scenario-based discussions
- Regular reminders about reporting procedures
Monitoring Implementation
How to Ensure Policies Work in Practice
Regular checks:
- Spot-check staff knowledge
- Review incident handling against policy
- Analyse reporting patterns
- Gather staff feedback
- Observe practice during inspections
Key questions:
- Are staff following procedures?
- Do they understand their responsibilities?
- Are children safer as a result?
- What barriers exist to implementation?
Conclusion
Reviewing safeguarding policies isn't just an annual compliance task—it's an opportunity to strengthen protection for every child in your care. By incorporating legislative changes, learning from experience, consulting stakeholders, and addressing emerging risks, you create a living document that genuinely guides practice.
The best policies are those that staff can apply confidently in real situations. Invest time in January to get your policy right, and you'll have a solid foundation for safeguarding throughout 2026.
Need support with policy development? Safeguard-Me's consultation service helps organisations create robust, practical safeguarding policies tailored to your specific context.