Key safeguarding updates for the early years sector

Education’s role in safeguarding

Education settings like nurseries, pre-schools, and schools will now be named as relevant agencies in safeguarding arrangements. This means education will have a more formal role when working with local safeguarding partners, such as the police and health services. 

While this is a step forward, education is not yet a full safeguarding partner. Staff in the early years play a vital role in spotting concerns like neglect or abuse, and it’s important to keep pushing for education to be treated equally in safeguarding decisions.

Home education and children under Child Protection Plans

A positive change is the new requirement for families with children on a Child Protection Plan to get permission from the local authority before choosing to home educate. 

Why is this important? Schools and early years settings help keep children safe by noticing any worrying signs. If a child at risk is removed from this environment, professionals may lose sight of them. This new measure ensures that children who need extra protection remain visible to safeguarding services and reduces the risk of harm.

Better oversight for children’s homes

The updated guidance introduces stricter rules for children’s homes. This is a big step toward ensuring that children in care live in safe, supportive environments. The new oversight means these homes will be more closely monitored to provide the right level of care and protection for vulnerable children.

Key safeguarding updates

The latest Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel Annual Report highlights worrying trends:

• 485 children faced serious harm or death between April 2023 and March 2024 due to abuse or neglect.
• 46% of incidents involved children who tragically died, with 36% being babies under one year old.
• Over 20% of cases involved children with mental health conditions.
• 16% of incidents involved suicide, and in 92% of these cases, children had mental health needs.

The report highlights three urgent areas of focus:

•  Supporting children with mental health conditions.
•  Protecting young children whose parents have mental health challenges.
•  Safeguarding children from risks outside the home, such as exploitation or gang violence.

For early years practitioners, this reinforces the importance of spotting and reporting concerns early, especially for pre-school-aged children. Parental mental health is a significant factor in safeguarding cases, and young children in these situations may need extra support.

What does this mean for Early Years practitioners?

Know your role: As a relevant agency, early years settings are key in noticing and reporting safeguarding concerns. Stay aware of signs of abuse, neglect, and parental challenges.

Support vulnerable families: Children under five are particularly at risk. Building trusting relationships with families can help identify issues early and provide support.

Work together: Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. Collaborate with local safeguarding teams, health services, and other professionals to ensure children are safe.

The updated guidance and annual report underline the urgent need to protect vulnerable children, especially those in the early years. While progress is being made, there is still work to do. Early years professionals are vital in keeping children safe, spotting signs of harm, and working with others to provide the best support.

By understanding these updates and focusing on early intervention, we can all play our part in creating safer environments for children to thrive.