New EYFS Safeguarding Reforms Set to Strengthen Child Protection Across Early Years Settings
Government announces comprehensive package of safety measures following extensive consultation with sector professionals
The Department for Education has announced significant reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) safeguarding framework, set to be implemented from September 1st, 2025. These changes, developed following an extensive 8-week consultation that received 1,470 responses from across the early years sector, represent the most comprehensive update to child protection measures in early years settings in recent years.
Key Improvements for Child Safety
The reforms introduce several critical enhancements that will benefit all organisations working with young children:
Enhanced Recruitment Safety: New mandatory requirements for obtaining references before employment, with detailed guidance on securing meaningful references that include safeguarding information. This aligns early years settings with school sector practices and addresses long-standing concerns about recruitment quality in the sector.
Proactive Child Protection: Introduction of formal procedures for following up on child absences, including requirements for attendance policies and emergency contact protocols. These measures aim to identify vulnerable children earlier and prevent serious harm.
Professional Development: Creation of comprehensive safeguarding training criteria with mandatory renewal every two years, ensuring all practitioners maintain current knowledge and skills. The introduction of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) brings early years settings in line with other educational environments.
Practical Safety Measures: New “safer eating” requirements covering allergy management, choking prevention, and appropriate supervision during mealtimes. These evidence-based measures address one of the highest-risk activities in early years settings.
Sector Support and Recognition
The consultation revealed overwhelming support for these changes, with 91.8% of respondents agreeing that obtaining references would improve children’s safety, and 94.2% supporting the new absence monitoring requirements. Crucially, many respondents noted these measures formalise existing best practices already implemented by quality providers.
Benefits for All Child-Focused Organisations
While specifically designed for early years settings, these reforms establish gold standards that can benefit any organisation working with children:
- Clear safeguarding protocols that can be adapted across different settings
- Professional training frameworks applicable to various child-focused roles
- Risk management approaches for activities involving children
- Whistleblowing procedures that support staff confidence in raising concerns
Implementation and Support
The government has committed to working closely with the sector and local authorities to ensure smooth implementation of these changes. Settings will have nearly a year to prepare, with guidance and support materials being developed to assist with the transition.
The reforms demonstrate the government’s commitment to learning from past incidents and continuously improving child protection measures across all early years provision, from childminders to large nursery groups.
Access the Full Document
For complete details of all reforms and implementation guidance, access the full consultation response document here: Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding reforms – Government consultation response
These reforms represent a significant step forward in protecting our youngest and most vulnerable children, whilst supporting the dedicated professionals who care for them every day.