Strengthening Safeguarding in Early Years Foundation Stage

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a series of significant reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, aimed at strengthening safeguarding and child protection across early years settings in England.

The reforms are designed to improve child safety and well-being, ensuring that all children in nurseries, pre-schools, and childminder settings are protected from harm while receiving high-quality early education and care.

The changes, which will take effect from 1st September 2025, reflect concerns raised by practitioners, parents, and public / third sector organisations during a recent consultation. The new measures focus on safer recruitment, child absence monitoring, enhanced safeguarding training, paediatric first aid (PFA) requirements, safer eating practices, privacy considerations, and whistleblowing policies.

The EYFS statutory framework sets out the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children's safety, development, and overall well-being. Recognising the evolving challenges within early childhood education, the DfE launched a public consultation from 22nd April to 17th June 2024 to gather insights from key stakeholders, including early years practitioners, local authorities, safeguarding professionals, and parents.

A total of 1,470 responses were received, with widespread support for strengthening safeguarding measures within the EYFS framework. Based on this feedback, HM Government has confirmed the following key changes:

1. Strengthened Safer Recruitment Practices
• Early years providers must obtain and verify references for all new employees before they begin working with children.
• Safeguarding policies must explicitly outline procedures for ensuring all staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children.
• This change aims to reduce risks associated with individuals who may pose a safeguarding concern.
2. Mandatory Monitoring of Child Absences
• Providers must follow up on prolonged or unexplained child absences to ensure children are safe.
• This includes maintaining at least two emergency contact details for each child to facilitate prompt communication in the event of an absence or emergency.
• This reform aligns with safeguarding concerns raised in serious case reviews, where failure to monitor absences has previously contributed to child harm.
3. Enhanced Safeguarding Training Requirements
• A dedicated safeguarding training annexe will be introduced to ensure early years staff receive clear and consistent safeguarding training.
• Providers must document how they deliver safeguarding training and how practitioners are supported to implement safeguarding procedures effectively.
• The new annexe will outline the minimum safeguarding knowledge and competencies required of early years professionals.
4. Stricter Paediatric First Aid (PFA) Requirements
• Under the new rules, students and trainees in early years settings must complete Paediatric First Aid (PFA) training before being included in staff-to-child ratios.
• This ensures that all practitioners, regardless of their qualification level, are equipped to handle medical emergencies and provide life-saving care when necessary.
5. New Safer Eating Guidelines to Prevent Choking
• Providers will be required to implement safer eating practices to reduce the risk of choking in young children.
• This includes appropriate supervision during mealtimes, guidance on safe food preparation and portioning, and staff training on how to respond to choking incidents.
• These changes address concerns raised by health professionals about the dangers of choking in early years settings, which has led to avoidable injuries and fatalities in the past.
6. Improved Privacy and Dignity in Toileting and Nappy Changing
• Revisions will ensure children's privacy is respected during toileting and nappy changing.
• At the same time, safeguarding measures will be introduced to prevent inappropriate behaviour and protect children from harm.
• This change seeks to balance child protection with dignity and personal care in early years settings.
7. Strengthening Whistleblowing Policies
• Early years settings will be required to establish clear whistleblowing procedures, ensuring staff feel confident reporting concerns.
• Providers must create a confidential and supportive environment where concerns about safeguarding practices, misconduct, or policy failures can be raised without fear of retaliation.
• This measure aims to promote transparency and promptly address all safeguarding concerns.

HM Government believes these reforms reflect a proactive approach to child safeguarding, ensuring that EYFS settings are well-equipped to protect children from harm. The changes align with recommendations from serious case reviews, sector-wide research, and safeguarding best practices.

By enhancing staff training, monitoring child absences, ensuring safer recruitment, and introducing clear whistleblowing policies, the revised EYFS framework aims to create a safer, more accountable environment for children during their critical early years.

The reforms represent a significant step towards strengthening child protection across early years education. It is hoped that these changes will improve staff awareness, increase safeguarding vigilance, and ultimately enhance the safety and well-being of young children in nurseries, childminder settings, and pre-schools.

The DfE have stated that they will work closely with all providers to support this transition and ensure all settings are well prepared. Further guidance will be available before implementation, allowing settings sufficient time to update their policies and train staff accordingly.

Early years providers, practitioners, and parents should familiarise themselves with the new requirements and prepare for the September 2025 implementation date. The DfE have stated that their collaboration with the sector will ensure that these safeguarding reforms are effectively introduced, making early years education a safer and more secure environment for all children.

The national implementation date for these reforms is 1st September 2025.

For the official government response and further details, you can access the full document Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding reforms - consultation response

Sara Spinks

SSS Author & Former Headteacher

12 March 2025