Accessible version of safeguarding and child protection: the essentials 2026/27

This version of our course is suitable for you if you use a screen reader, or if you’ve found that the accessibility settings in our interactive version don't address your needs.

In the folder above, you’ll find Word documents containing the training content from our 'safeguarding and child protection: the essentials' eLearning course, and the assessment, presented in an accessible format.

How to use this version of the course:

1. Select the folder - primary or secondary - most relevant to your setting
2. Each chapter (an introduction plus chapters 1 to 6) is in its own Word document. We recommend working through these in numerical order
3. Take the assessment when you have reviewed every chapter of the course. You'll see a version for roles working directly with children and a version for roles not working directly with children. You only need to look at 1 of these: choose the one that's most relevant to you
4. When you've finished the course and are satisfied that you've understood and completed the assessment, please reach out to your designated safeguarding lead (DSL), who can request a certificate from our support team

• Although completing this course and assessment will fulfil the training expectations laid out in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), completion will not be recorded on your training dashboard

• You should still talk through your procedures with staff, to make sure they understand them. We recommend using a combination of elearning and face-to-face training, as training in person will help you spot any misconceptions you need to address

It covers all the critical information from Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026, part 1. By the end of the course, your staff will know:

• What safeguarding is, why it's important, and what their responsibilities are
• What the 4 main types of abuse are and safeguarding issues to be alert to now
• How to spot the signs that a child might be suffering abuse, or is at risk of it
• What to do if they have any concerns about a child or a child tells them about abuse
• How to report any safeguarding concerns – about a child, an adult, or practice in your setting

• Updates to reflect the latest changes to KCSIE for 2026/27
• New scenarios to put learning into practice and keep the course engaging for staff who have taken it before
• Updated assessment with new questions and scenarios, to keep it fresh and up to date