DFE STATUTORY GUIDANCE UPDATE- Working Together To Safeguard Children 2026
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026: What’s Changed and What It Means in Practice
The 2026 update to Working Together to Safeguard Children does not introduce a wholesale redesign of the safeguarding system. Instead, it sharpens expectations placing a stronger emphasis on accountability, inclusive practice, and coordinated support for children and families.
For organisations and practitioners, the message is clear: safeguarding must not only be in place, it must be evidenced, consistent, and effective in practice.
A broader, clearer safeguarding remit
The updated guidance reinforces that safeguarding applies to all children, including those in kinship care, adoptive placements, and wider care arrangements. It also makes explicit that safeguarding responsibilities can extend to unborn children where concerns are identified.
This provides greater clarity and removes ambiguity ensuring that no child falls outside the scope of safeguarding responsibilities.
A stronger focus on equality and inclusion
There is a clear and deliberate shift towards anti-discriminatory and inclusive practice. Practitioners are expected not only to recognise inequality but to actively challenge discrimination and bias.
The guidance also strengthens recognition of less visible forms of harm, including coercive control and abusive relationships. This reinforces the need for practitioners to remain professionally curious and responsive to the full context of a child’s lived experience.
Strengthened multi-agency accountability
Multi-agency safeguarding arrangements (MASA) are further clarified, with a stronger emphasis on defined roles, effective information sharing, and measurable impact.
Partnerships are expected to move beyond process and demonstrate how their work is improving outcomes for children and families, including addressing issues such as disproportionality.
A more integrated approach to family support
The introduction of a more aligned “family help” approach brings early help and statutory intervention closer together. The intention is to create a joined-up system of support, delivered through consistent relationships and coordinated multi-agency planning.
This reflects a shift away from fragmented services towards a more cohesive, family-centred model of support.
Clearer expectations of practice
The update reinforces that how safeguarding is delivered is as important as what is delivered. There is a strong focus on relational practice, ensuring that engagement with children and families is respectful, inclusive, and informed by their lived experiences.
What this means in practice
This update is ultimately about tightening expectations. Organisations should be focusing on:
Ensuring safeguarding practice is inclusive and anti-discriminatory
Strengthening partnership working and accountability
Delivering coordinated, family-centred support
Evidencing impact on outcomes, not just activity
Final reflection
The direction of travel remains consistent but expectations are higher. The focus is no longer on whether systems are in place, but on how effectively they are working for children and families.
For safeguarding leaders and practitioners, this is a prompt to reflect, review, and ensure that practice is not only compliant but robust, joined-up, and making a measurable difference.
Read the summary here