New versions of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework come into force today, 1 September 2026, introducing a number of strengthened safeguarding and welfare requirements for early years providers in England.

There continue to be two versions of the statutory framework:

• the EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers; and
• the EYFS statutory framework for childminders.

The frameworks were first published in July to give providers time to prepare. From today, they replace the previous versions and are the statutory frameworks that providers must follow.

The Department for Education has confirmed that there have been no further changes to the requirements since the versions published in July 2026.

What has changed?

The 2026 frameworks strengthen a number of safeguarding and welfare requirements.

Safer sleep

Explicit safer sleep requirements have now been incorporated directly into the EYFS statutory framework.

Providers must ensure that sleeping children are frequently checked and that they follow the latest government safety guidance, taking account of the individual needs of the child.

This makes safer sleep an explicit part of the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements rather than requiring providers to refer separately to external guidance.

Safer recruitment and suitability

There are important changes to recruitment and suitability requirements.

These include a requirement for enhanced criminal records checks for volunteers, including supervised volunteers, alongside strengthened requirements preventing new employees from commencing employment before the required criminal records check has been received.

The frameworks also amend the information that providers must require staff to disclose where circumstances may affect their suitability to work with children.

Providers should ensure that their recruitment procedures and staff suitability processes reflect these requirements from today.

Reporting allegations of harm

The threshold for notifying Ofsted, or a childminder agency where applicable, has also changed.

Providers must now notify them of allegations of “harm”, rather than only allegations of “serious harm”, involving anyone living, working or looking after children at the premises.

This is an important change and settings should ensure that those responsible for safeguarding understand the revised notification requirement.

Screen use

For the first time, both EYFS frameworks require providers to have regard to government guidance on screen use in early years settings.

The guidance considers how screens are used with young children and is intended to support providers in making appropriate decisions about when and how technology forms part of early years provision.

Banned dog breeds

Registered childcare must no longer be provided from premises where a banned dog breed is kept or present.

This requirement applies across registered early years provision and forms part of wider changes to registration requirements introduced alongside the revised EYFS frameworks.

Childcare on domestic premises

There is an additional requirement within the group and school-based framework affecting childcare on domestic premises (CoDP).

Providers must notify Ofsted or their childminder agency of changes involving people aged 16 or over who live or work at the premises. This brings the requirements more closely into line with those already applying to childminders.

What should providers do now?

As the revised frameworks are now in force, providers should ensure that they are working from the correct 2026 version and that relevant policies, procedures and staff practice reflect the new requirements.

Particular attention should be given to:

• safeguarding and child protection procedures;
• safer recruitment and volunteer checks;
• staff suitability and disclosure arrangements;
• safer sleep procedures;
• procedures for notifying Ofsted or a childminder agency;
• screen use; and
• arrangements concerning animals and banned dog breeds on premises.

Managers and safeguarding leads should also ensure that relevant staff understand the changes which affect their role.

What does this mean for ISS members?

ISS has been preparing for these changes since the revised frameworks were published in July.

Our 2026/27 EYFS safeguarding policy templates for both group settings and childminders have been updated to reflect the new statutory requirements, alongside the wider safeguarding changes taking effect for the new academic year.

For members, the key message is straightforward: you do not need to work through the new framework alone to determine what needs changing.

We have already incorporated the relevant requirements into our updated resources and training so that members can concentrate on implementing them in practice.

Members should ensure they are now using the 2026/27 versions of relevant ISS policies and resources available through their dashboard.

Access the new statutory frameworks

The Department for Education's main EYFS statutory framework page contains both current frameworks:

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK

Separate versions are available for:

• group and school-based providers
• childminders

The Department for Education has also published a dedicated summary explaining the changes taking effect from 1 September 2026.

The new requirements apply from today, 1 September 2026.

Safer recruitment rules change today: What organisations working with children need to know

A significant change to safer recruitment requirements comes into force today, 1 September 2026, affecting organisations that work with children.

The change removes what was previously known as the “supervision exemption” from the legal definition of regulated activity with children.

In practical terms, some volunteers who were previously not considered to be undertaking regulated activity because they were supervised may now be undertaking regulated activity – and may therefore require an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List information.

The change is relevant across the children’s workforce, including schools and colleges, early years and childcare providers, charities, faith organisations, sports and activity providers, community organisations and other services involving work with children.

What has changed?

Until 31 August 2026, someone undertaking certain activities with children could, in some circumstances, fall outside regulated activity where they were sufficiently supervised by another person who was themselves undertaking regulated activity.

That exemption has now been removed.

From 1 September 2026, a person who teaches, trains, instructs, cares for or supervises children can be undertaking regulated activity where the activity meets the relevant frequency threshold, even where they are supervised by another person.

For these activities, the frequency threshold is met where they take place:

• on more than three days in any 30-day period; or

• overnight between 2am and 6am, where the relevant conditions are met.

The change is particularly important for organisations using regular volunteers.

For example, an organisation may have previously concluded that a volunteer regularly working directly with children was not undertaking regulated activity because they were supervised by another member of staff. Supervision can no longer be relied upon to take that person outside regulated activity where the other conditions are met.

What does this mean for DBS checks?

Where a role now constitutes regulated activity with children, the organisation must ensure that the individual is not barred from undertaking that work.

This will generally mean obtaining an Enhanced DBS check which includes Children’s Barred List information where the organisation is entitled to request one.

This is important because a person who is barred from working with children commits an offence if they undertake regulated activity from which they are barred. Organisations also have legal responsibilities in relation to permitting barred individuals to undertake regulated activity.

The change does not mean that everyone who volunteers or has contact with children automatically requires a barred list check.

Organisations must still consider the activities being undertaken and how frequently they take place. An occasional volunteer, for example, may not meet the statutory frequency threshold.

It is important that organisations do not simply adopt blanket DBS checking arrangements: barred list information can only be requested where there is a legal entitlement to obtain it.

What should organisations do now?

Organisations working with children should review their current safer recruitment and volunteer arrangements, particularly where they have previously relied upon supervision when determining whether a role amounted to regulated activity.

They should identify anyone who:

• teaches, trains, instructs, cares for or supervises children;

• was previously regarded as outside regulated activity because they were supervised; and

• now meets the relevant frequency or overnight threshold.

Where a role is now regulated activity, organisations should establish whether the appropriate checks have already been undertaken and arrange any additional checks that are legally required.

Safer recruitment policies, volunteer procedures, risk assessments and recruitment records should also be reviewed to ensure that they reflect the new requirements.

Why has this changed?

The removal of the supervision exemption is intended to strengthen safeguarding arrangements by ensuring that people who regularly undertake specified activities with children are subject to the barred list arrangements, regardless of whether another adult supervises their work.

The change is reflected in updated safeguarding and safer recruitment guidance taking effect from September 2026, including Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 for schools and colleges.

However, this should not be regarded simply as a KCSIE change. The underlying change is to the legal framework governing regulated activity with children and is therefore relevant to organisations beyond education.

What does this mean for ISS members?

ISS supports organisations across a wide range of sectors working with children, and members should consider whether the change affects any of their existing staff or volunteer arrangements.

In particular, organisations which use regular supervised volunteers should review those roles rather than assuming that their previous DBS arrangements remain sufficient.

ISS has updated relevant policy and safer recruitment resources to reflect the new requirements, and the change will be incorporated into our safeguarding and safer recruitment training.

ISS members do not need to interpret these changes alone. We will continue to translate statutory and legislative developments into practical guidance, policies and training so that members understand what has changed and what they need to do.

Further information

The Government has published updated guidance explaining the removal of the supervision exemption and the revised regulated activity arrangements applying from 1 September 2026.

The Disclosure and Barring Service has also published information explaining the change and its implications for organisations working with children.

Youth warnings, reprimands and cautions will no longer be automatically disclosed to employers who require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates from 28 November.

The changes, which come as a result of a Supreme Court judgment that found some elements of the existing filtering rules for Standard and Enhanced DBS checks were disproportionate, are intended to make it easier for people with certain convictions to find employment.

A county lines drug gang forced 40 children to deal cannabis and cocaine at a single school.

The teens, some as young as 14, had been supplied with drugs and dealing kits including deal bags and scales. 

Police say grown-up dealers had a network of 40 pupils dealing at the school which has just over 1,200 pupils - meaning one in thirty was possibly selling drugs.

It is suspected that girls as young as 14 at Kingsdown School in Swindon, Wiltshire, have been pestered for sex in exchange for cocaine.

And the dawn police raid yesterday - on the eve of GCSE results - revealed the extent of the teens coerced into the operation.

Wiltshire Police arrested a 27-year-old man during the raid. He has since been released under investigation.

Sgt Nathan Perry, who planned the 7am raid, said: "We found the person we're looking for, we've managed to safeguard the children who were at risk and we've found drugs.

"We all know about county lines and the risks associated with that.

"The difficulty with this type of drugs operation is that it's specifically targeting very young children in order to get them to deal drugs.

"Some of the information we've been passed is that children are not only being coerced into this activity, but they're also being physically threatened.

"If they go to police or teachers they'll be harmed," he added. 

Police were said to have been alerted to the gang at Kingsdown School.

A pair of older teen boys, both 16, are believed to have been supplying a network of up to 40 children in their mid-teens at the Swindon school.

The 27-year-old was arrested during the morning raid on suspicion of possession of class B drugs with intent to supply and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The raid came as Swindon police focused their sights on modern slavery.

Nationally, police have increasingly turned to modern slavery laws to target drug dealers who force children and vulnerable adults to peddle their product.

Sgt Perry said those convicted could expect sentences of up to 15 years imprisonment.

"You've got children being exploited and young kids being forced to run the drugs. We will take it seriously," he said.

"The sheer nature of the exploitation of these young people is unacceptable.

"If we don't do something to stop that they're potentially going to be at risk for the rest of their lives.