Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she next plans to update the publication entitled Keeping Children Safe in Education.

We are currently consulting on proposals to update the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education from September 2018. The consultation opened on 14 December 2017 and closes on 22 February 2018.

We plan to publish the revised guidance, for information, early in the summer term 2018. This will give schools and colleges adequate time to review their policies and procedures and make any changes necessary to meet the requirements before the guidance comes into force in September 2018.

The hon. Member may wish to be aware that we have also published separate advice on sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges. This defines what sexual violence and sexual harassment is, how to minimise the risks of it happening and how to manage reports of incidents. The consultation on Keeping Children Safe in Education seeks views both on this advice and on the extent to which it should be reflected in the statutory guidance.