How the new KCSiE Guidance impacts Designated Safeguarding Lead Training

Since I recently participated in a BBC radio debate on emotional well-being in schools, I’ve received numerous requests to provide specialist training on this topic in schools.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025)

The new KCSiE guidance refers to Relationships, Sex and Health Education, with more detailed guidance expected in September 2025. This aligns with the DfE’s statement that updated RSHE and gender-questioning resources will be signposted in the final KCSiE version

A key part of my work in schools—especially with pupil engagement groups—has given valuable insights into where adolescents feel the gaps in education are. It’s vital that we hear the voices of young people about their lived experiences of relationships, both in person and online. This helps us tailor safeguarding education in a way that actually makes sense to them.

Why Online Safety Is Front and Centre

Online safety is now a central focus of my Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training.

The vulnerability of pupils to fake news, misinformation, and conspiracy theories is increasingly a safeguarding issue. Equipping schools to manage these risks is essential in maintaining a safe learning environment.

We need to teach children and young people the skills they need to keep themselves safe, especially in digital spaces where much of their interaction takes place.

Emotional Wellbeing: A Core Safeguarding Concern

A fundamental part of maintaining emotional safety in schools is equipping staff to manage emotional well-being alongside their teaching roles.

That’s no easy task, with all the competing priorities, and considering that emotional well-being is not a key part of initial teacher training.

A key element of DSL training now involves analysing how a school can address emotional well-being effectively—whether individually, within teams, or across the whole organisation. No two schools are the same. Emotional presentation varies depending on so many factors: gender, culture, ethnicity, demographics, and the school’s overall culture and ability to meet those needs.

Children Out of Education

This year has seen a 16% rise in school exclusions for the 2023–24 academic year. A Telegraph report echoes this, noting “the number of permanent exclusions leapt up by 16% compared with the year before.”

So, while we’re increasingly recognising the link between emotional well-being, behaviour, and academic progress, many schools still struggle to keep pupils in education when they display antisocial or aggressive behaviour or attention deficits.

Creating environments where these pupils feel safe and heard is crucial to their academic development. This is often referred to as a trauma-informed approach. Children from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to show behavioural difficulties, which can result in lower academic achievement and worse non-cognitive outcomes.

Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

KCSiE (2025) highlights the link between mental health and safeguarding, stating that early intervention is crucial and that teachers are well placed to notice changes in a child’s behaviour or attitude that could indicate a safeguarding concern.

In my experience, there are also more subtle, harder-to-detect signs that staff need to be aware of. Helping DSLs and school staff recognise those less obvious indicators is a key focus of my safeguarding training.

Early Help and Support: The Challenge of High Thresholds

While early intervention and supporting children and families as soon as issues arise is always the intention, one of the most common themes in every DSL training I deliver is that the threshold for Early Help is so high that schools are often left to manage alone, without substantial external support.

Part of my DSL training focuses on strategies to support effective escalation so that a multi-agency approach becomes possible, rather than schools holding it all on their own.

Open Communication in Schools

Open communication requires a culture of trust and cohesion across the school.

Encouraging active listening, creating safe and supportive spaces, and having clear communication protocols at staff level are vital—before we can expect this to happen effectively with pupils.

We also need to provide opportunities for students to express themselves without fear of judgement. Making use of online platforms, email, and other tools can help students, parents, and staff feel more connected. It’s also important to keep all stakeholders informed, whether that’s school news, events, or key updates.

Developing a Culture of Support

From my time working in schools and providing supervision—both individually and collectively—to teachers, I’ve seen how a culture of trust, openness, and transparency is key to creating an environment where staff and pupils can thrive.

How can we nurture and support pupils if those same feelings aren’t modelled and supported by school leadership?

Empowering teachers to help shift school culture has been a big part of my recent work. Less emphasis on safeguarding in isolation, more on emotional well-being overall—because that’s what ultimately creates a safer school environment for everyone.

Let’s Create Safer School Environments

If we want our pupils to feel safe, supported, and able to thrive, we must continue investing in the well-being of the staff who care for them. My Designated Safeguarding Lead training goes beyond compliance—it helps create a school culture where everyone feels heard, valued and protected.

Please contact me here to discuss how I can support your school.
Together, we can build a safer environment for those who need it most.