Advice for schools and colleges on how to prevent and respond to reports of sexual violence and harassment between children.

Documents

Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges

Ref: DFE-00155-2018PDF, 351KB, 44 pages

Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges (from September 2021)

PDF, 432KB, 52 pages

Details

The ‘sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges (from September 2021)’ guidance does not come into force until 1 September 2021.

Schools and colleges must continue to use the 2018 version until then.

This is for:

  • governing bodies of maintained schools and colleges
  • proprietors of independent schools (including academies, free schools and alternative provision academies) and non-maintained special schools
  • management committees of pupil referral units
  • headteachers, principals, senior leadership teams and designated safeguarding leads

It covers:

  • what sexual violence and harassment is
  • schools’ and colleges’ legal responsibilities
  • a whole school or college approach to safeguarding and child protection
  • how to respond to reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment

Published 14 December 2017
Last updated 6 July 2021 + show all updates

  1. Added updated ‘sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges’ guidance following a public consultation. This document does not come into force until 1 September 2021.

  2. Added updated advice document to the page.

  3. First published.