Early Years Practitioner Safeguarding Training: What you need to know
Everyone in early years has had KCSIE 2026 requirements and required training on their radar for the start of this academic year – and that is how it should be.
But there’s a separate training requirement that’s just as non-negotiable, and it’s the one I keep finding gaps in when I’m doing our safeguarding reviews: statutory safeguarding training for every early year’s practitioner, under the EYFS framework.
This isn’t new. It’s been a requirement since September 2025, and the September 2026 EYFS framework reiterates it again in Annex C. It applies whether you’re a school-based or group-based provider (childminders have their own separate statutory framework), and it’s separate from KCSIE staff safeguarding and child protection awareness training.
Across our safeguarding reviews this year, this is consistently one of the compliance points that’s slipping through the net, not because settings don’t know it exists, but because it gets absorbed into “we’ve done safeguarding training” without anyone checking that their standard training has been extended to incorporate the Annex C standard or providing access to separate dedicated training. This additional training came in from September 2025. Therefore, the first statutory renewal isn’t due until September 2027, which makes it easy to assume there’s nothing to think about for the start of this academic year!
However, there is: getting the initial training right, evidencing it properly, and covering new starters as you go, so the renewal in 2027 isn’t a scramble.
And it’s worth doing properly, not just ticking a box. NSPCC’s own learning from case reviews for the early years sector points to gaps in staff training as a recurring theme in reviews carried out when a child has been seriously harmed. Keeping training current is one of the simplest, most practical things a setting can do to help staff notice, and act on, the things that matter.
What’s actually required?
- Every practitioner working with 0-5s must complete safeguarding training that covers the specific content set out in EYFS Annex C 2026 – categories of abuse, how to spot the signs, how to record and refer concerns, your own setting’s policy and procedures. A generic “safeguarding awareness” session doesn’t automatically tick this box.
- Training must be renewed every 2 years. For most settings the first renewal falls due in September 2027 – worth putting a diary reminder in now, not when the certificates already expired. If you’ve completed your Early Years Safeguarding Practitioner training with Safeguarding Support Ltd, you’ll get automatic reminders!
- For new staff, starting mid-year, leaders will need to build this training into their induction programme. So remember, if someone joins in November, they need to complete the training then – not the following September.
- Ofsted inspectors will expect to see the evidence e.g. a record of who’s completed the training and when – not a simple statement “yes, we did that”.
And then there’s the Early Years DSL.
Your Early Years DSL (EYDSL) needs to go a step further – Annex C requires them to complete the early years practitioner training, as well as an additional module covering safer recruitment, building a safe culture, managing allegations against staff, and how to escalate concerns locally.
This is often the bit that catches people out: the framework requires your EYDSL to give staff support, advice and guidance on an ongoing basis. In practice, that’s very hard to sustain with just one trained EYDSL person, especially if your setting runs early starts, late finishes, or holiday club. Our recommendation would be to build in enough EYDSL-level cover that there’s always someone available to advise, which usually means more than one person completing EYDSL-level training.
Worth doing this asap:
Check every current practitioner has completed early years practitioner training which meets Annex C content
Check your induction programme for new starters and returning staff, includes early years practitioner training, not just KCSIE awareness training
Check you have EYDSL cover for all sessions where children are on site – and enough trained people to deliver it
Need to get your team trained?
Our cost-effective eLearning courses are priced from just £25 + VAT and are written to meet the EYFS Annex C criteria. We also offer a separate course for the EYDSL*, meeting the additional requirements in full and ensuring your team has the knowledge they need to keep children safe – not just a certificate to file away.
The modules are self-paced, so staff can work through them at a time that suits a busy early years day, rather than trying to find a spare training afternoon.
See full details or register by See full details or register by clicking here.
Discounts available on purchases of 10 licences
Contact us for more details.
Now is the time to review your training provision, so this doesn’t become ‘the thing’ that slips through the net. Remember compliance gets you through an Ofsted inspection, but it is a strong safeguarding and whole setting culture, that actually keeps children safe.
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If we can support you with your safeguarding training and assurance reviews, do get in touch: admin@safeguardingsupport.com
*Our EYDSL eLearning course is currently being re-written to meet EYFS 2026 and will be available from mid-October 2026.
