Dear colleagues,
As another academic year ends, thank you for your work to support children and families across Bristol. We know there have been challenges, and we are grateful for your continued commitment, care and professionalism. We hope you enjoy a break of some sort over the summer, and we look forward to continuing our close working relationship next academic year.
“May your summer include sunshine, rest, and at least one day where no one asks you where anything is.”
Please share this newsletter with colleagues and encourage them to sign up to our mailing list.
Updated Guidance
Government guidance and statutory updates
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 – Final Publication Out Now
KCSIE 2026 has now been published for information. It includes substantive updates to strengthen or clarify existing content, including multi-agency working, learning from recent reviews and additional content on Violence Against Women and Girls. Schools and colleges should review the guidance ahead of implementation.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 - For information only, this guidance does not come into force until 1 September 2026
The Department for Education has updated its AI in education materials, adding new modules and expanding safeguarding content. This now covers SEND support, school operations and safeguarding.
Regulated activity: removal of the supervision exemption (comes into force 1 September 2026)
Schools, colleges and childcare settings should note changes to regulated activity from 1 September 2026, following the Crime and Policing Act 2026.
The Act removes the supervision exemption. Previously, some unpaid activity was not regulated activity if supervised by someone in regulated activity.
Relevant unpaid activity will now be regulated activity if carried out frequently or if it meets the period condition:
Volunteers in regulated activity will need an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with children’s barred list information.
This change will come into force on 1 September 2026.
Regulated activity: removal of the supervision exemption (comes into force 1 September 2026)
Artificial intelligence and online safeguarding guidance
Using AI in education settings support materials
The guidance names cognitive offloading as a safeguarding concern, where pupils rely on AI instead of developing their own knowledge and skills. This may reduce help-seeking from trusted adults and mean important disclosures are missed.
It also warns about emotional attachment to AI chatbots. For vulnerable children, this can replace human relationships and reduce contact with trusted adults.
Content on deepfakes, AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery, grooming through avatars and chatbots, and AI-assisted extremist content has been retained and reinforced. Guidance on nudes and semi-nudes also applies to AI-generated sexualised deepfakes.
Using AI in education settings support materials
CEOP Education – AI CSAM Guidance (England) for Professionals
CEOP Education has updated its AI-CSAM guidance for professionals, with strengthened safeguarding advice and a new resource for parents and carers.
The updates include:
Enhanced image consent guidance, including practical actions and a checklist to help protect images from AI manipulation.
New parent and carer guidance to explain AI risks, reduce image misuse and support children if an incident occurs.
Advice for professionals on using the parent guidance to reinforce safeguarding messages at home.
Child sexual abuse material generated by artificial intelligence
Resources and Information
Moving on Up Transition Resource - FREE
Narrative Alchemy and 2 Pears Films have made a mini version of the Moving on Up transition resource free for the rest of the 2025–2026 academic year.
The five-minute film, developed from research with Year 6 and Year 7 pupils and teachers, helps children feel more prepared and confident about moving to secondary school.
To access the resource, schools should:
Click the link below. Create a free Thinkific account (it takes less than a minute). Access the film immediately.
Free resource: https://2pearsfilms.thinkific.com/courses/moving-on-up-free
SmokeFree Bristol Essential eLearning - FREE
SmokeFree Bristol has launched a free 30-minute e-learning course to help professionals develop the knowledge and confidence to support people who smoke.
The course provides practical guidance on having conversations about smoking and how to confidently refer or signpost individuals to the local stop smoking service, where specialist support is available.
Click here to access the course.
For more information, you can email smokefree@bristol.gov.uk.
Asylum Hotel Accommodation – Upcoming Closure and Support for Pupils
We have been informed by the Home Office that the Asylum Hotel accommodation in Bristol is expected to begin the process of closing, with the decant commencing from Early August. Families currently residing at the hotel will be moved to alternative accommodation by the Home Office.
We have not been advised that any of the remaining families will be rehoused within Bristol. Therefore, it is advisable to work on the assumption that families may be relocated outside of the area.
We would encourage schools to support pupils in preparing for and managing their goodbyes, helping to ensure a positive and sensitive transition wherever possible.
Due to data-sharing restrictions, the Home Office and accommodation providers are unable to share full relocation details with the local authority.
We would therefore be grateful if schools could continue to maintain contact with affected families where possible and notify us if they become aware of a family's new location.
Please also continue to submit CME - Children missing education (CME) or Pupil Tracking - Pupil tracking referrals as appropriate to the Education Welfare Service as appropriate.
If any families remain within the Bristol area and require support with home-to-school transport following a move, please contact the Attendance and Belonging Team -Attendanceandbelongingteam@bristol.gov.uk so that we can explore what assistance may be available.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to these children and families. Your efforts in helping pupils navigate this period of uncertainty and change are greatly appreciated.
Unique Voice
Transformative Approaches to Safeguarding and Wellbeing - Save the Date
Empowering you to create change with confidence, creativity and care.
Venue: CLF Institute Russell Town Ave, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9JH
Date: Thursday 22nd October 2026
In collaboration with CPOMS and Cabot Learning Foundation, this conference will bring together safeguarding, inclusion and wellbeing leads to connect and share practice.
The conference will focus on:
There will be keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions and time to connect with others working in this field.
With support from CPOMS, places are £37.50. Each delegate place helps fund a child to attend a Unique Voice creative holiday club.
More details will follow. For now, save the date and register your interest here.
Yuno Training Offer for 2026/27
Your Holiday Hub
We’re pleased to let you know Your Holiday Hub activities are now live.
Families and young people who receive benefits-related free school meals can now browse and book hundreds of fully funded taking place in Bristol this summer.
Your Holiday Hub offers a wide range of fun activities, including cooking, sports, cheerleading, drama, digital media, skateboarding, forest school, youth clubs, and adventure playgrounds. Every session includes a nutritious meal alongside activities that support food education and help children build healthy habits.
Please could you help by:
Families can browse and book here:
Taking part in Your Holiday Hub can have a significant impact for children and families. It can help reduce pressure during the school holidays, support children’s confidence and wellbeing, offer new experiences, and help children return to school ready to learn.
Sign up for updates
We’re always after more people to champion HAF, helping us to engage eligible families. Do you want to become a HAF Champion? Sign up here!
Please feel free to forward this email to colleagues who may also like to sign up to receive HAF Champion updates.
If you would like to stop receiving these emails, please reply asking us to unsubscribe you.
If you have any questions about Your Holiday Hub, get in touch with the HAF team on haf@bristol.gov.uk
Team news
Education Safeguarding Advisor Recruitment – We are pleased to welcome Colin Clements (North) and Elizabeth Male (East Central, joining in August) as Education Safeguarding Advisors.
You may also have noticed a name change for our Deputy Team Manager following her recent wedding. Her email address is now elisabeth.dark@bristol.gov.uk.
Our Team Away Day
As part of our team away day, we had the privilege of visiting the new 224 Youth Zone. We were given a tour of the incredible facilities and opportunities available to young people across South Bristol and were truly impressed by the quality and vision of the centre. It was inspiring to see such a welcoming and inclusive space dedicated to supporting young people to develop, connect, and thrive. You can read more about the youth zone here.
Generic e-mail addresses
Please provide a generic safeguarding email address if you have not already done so. This supports the finalised KCSIE 2026 statutory guidance, which comes into force on 1 September 2026.
Part two – The management of safeguarding, paragraph 127.
“To ensure continuity of safeguarding responsibilities, schools should implement robust cover arrangements for periods when the designated safeguarding lead is unavailable due to illness, leave, or other circumstances. This could, for example, include a confidential shared mailbox or equivalent system to ensure that safeguarding concerns are received, monitored, and acted upon without delay.”
Please note:
S.175 Audit
This is a reminder that the deadline for the S.175 audit for all settings is the 31st July 2026.
What you need to do:
Training/Networks
New DSL Training - Face to face
17 and 18 November 2026, 08:45–16:30
23 and 24 March 2027, 08:45–16:30
New DSL Training - Virtual
15 to 18 September 2026, 08:45–12:30
26 to 29 January 2027, 08:45–12:30
DSL Refresher Training - Face to face
DSL Refresher Training - Virtual
23 and 24 September 2026, 08:45–12:30
24 and 25 November 2026, 08:45–12:30
19 and 20 January 2027, 08:45–12:30
2 and 3 March 2027, 08:45–12:30
30 and 31 March 2027, 08:45–12:30
11 and 12 May 2027, 08:45–12:30
6 and 7 July 2027, 08:45–12:30
Training/Networks
SET and LADO - Practice challenges regarding dealing with concerns about staff
Wednesday 4 November 2026, 09:30–11:30
Wednesday 17 March 2027, 09:30–11:30
Wednesday 2 June 2027, 09:30–11:30
DSL networks - Term 1
29 September 2026 - South
30 September 2026 - East / Central
1 October 2026 - North
30 September 2026 - Virtual
8 October 2027 - Post 16
Thank you!
We wish you a restful summer when it arrives and thank you again for everything you do to support children and families across Bristol.