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<p>The department’s statutory safeguarding guidance 'keeping children safe in education'
(KCSIE) contains extensive safeguarding advice which all schools and colleges must
have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare
of children.</p><p>It contains extensive advice about all forms of abuse and neglect
including the indicators of these harms. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have
an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. So-called
conversion therapy, whilst not explicitly referenced, may well in many instances fall
into this category.</p><p>Currently so-called conversion therapy is not illegal, though
some of the practices will be as they are already considered to be abusive and/or
illegal.</p><p>KCSIE currently contains guidance on matters such as female genital
mutilation and other specific harms that are underpinned by legislation. Once similar
legislation is in place for so-called conversion therapy we will consider whether
it is necessary and/or appropriate to reflect any changes in KCSIE as we do on a routine
and annual basis.</p><p>The department has undertaken extensive communications with
the sector and continues to consider what more it can do on lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender (LGBT) matters such as this.</p><p>We are currently consulting on
revisions to KCSIE for 2022, in which we have incorporated departmental advice, such
as on the issue of sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools
and colleges. In particular we have reminded schools and colleges of their legal duties
with regard to the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector
Equality Duty. We have also included a new section on how children who are LGBT can
be targeted by other children. In some cases, a child who is perceived by other children
to be LGBT (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who identify
as LGBT.</p><p>We expect to publish revised guidance for information in May 2022,
with it coming into force in September 2022.</p><p>The consultation can be found here:
<a href="https://consult.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-in-schools-team/kcsie-proposed-revisions-2022/"
target="_blank">https://consult.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-in-schools-team/kcsie-proposed-revisions-2022/</a>.</p>
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