The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 guidance continues to emphasise that effective information sharing is an essential part of safeguarding children and young people. It is now statutory duty to share information where the emphasis is moving away from ‘should we share this information?’ towards ‘what information does the other professional need to safeguard this child and how can we appropriately share it?’

One of the key messages for education staff is that data protection should not be used as a reason to avoid sharing information when there is a legitimate safeguarding concern. Staff may sometimes worry that GDPR prevents them from passing on information about a child. However, safeguarding concerns should be shared with the appropriate person or agency when this is necessary to protect a child or promote their welfare.

Importantly, staff do not need to have definite evidence that abuse or neglect has occurred before reporting a concern. A concern, observation or piece of information may be significant when combined with other information held by professionals.

Information should, however, be shared appropriately, lawfully and proportionately. Staff should only share information that is relevant and necessary, and it should be shared with the appropriate people, such as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), children's social care, health professionals or the police, depending on the circumstances. Schools should also ensure that significant information-sharing decisions are appropriately recorded.

For staff, the key message is simple: if you have a safeguarding concern, do not let uncertainty about GDPR prevent you from reporting it. Instead, follow your school's safeguarding procedures and speak to the DSL or another appropriate safeguarding professional.

Effective information sharing can help professionals build a clearer picture of a child's circumstances and ensure that concerns are identified and acted upon at the earliest opportunity.