From 30 September 2026, a new statutory duty will change how safeguarding information is shared.
The new Information Sharing Duty means that sharing relevant information is no longer simply good practice - it is now a legal requirement under the Children Act 2004.
What does this mean?
If you hold information that could help safeguard or promote a child’s welfare, and sharing it could help another organisation assess need or risk, provide support or take action, you should share it.
Importantly, there is no requirement for a safeguarding threshold to be met first. Information can be shared to support early help, prevention or unmet need.
What are the key changes?
• Information sharing is now a legal duty, rather than a discretionary decision.
• Consent is not always required where there is a lawful basis to share safeguarding information.
• Relevant information should be shared to support early help and safeguarding, even where a family disagrees with a referral.
• Responding to appropriate requests for safeguarding information from partner agencies is now part of the duty.
• GDPR is not a barrier to appropriate safeguarding information sharing. Information should still be shared lawfully, fairly and securely.
• Only information that is necessary, proportionate, accurate and relevant should be shared.
• Professional judgement should be recorded, including what was shared, why it was shared, and any decision not to share.
The rare exception
The duty does not apply where professional judgement determines that sharing information would be more harmful to the child than not sharing it. This is expected to be rare.
What should settings do?
To prepare for the change, settings should:
• Review their safeguarding and information-sharing policies.
• Check guidance around parental consent and referrals.
• Update outdated information-sharing procedures.
• Review privacy notices and local information-sharing protocols.
• Discuss the changes with the Data Protection Officer, where applicable.
• Make sure relevant staff understand the new legal requirements.
• Ensure recording and escalation expectations are clear.
The key message
From 30 September 2026, appropriate safeguarding information should reach the right people at the right time when it could help protect a child or promote their welfare.
The new duty aims to support better information sharing between organisations, helping them provide early help and effective safeguarding when children and families need it most.
Useful Links:
Read the Guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aa2a5b1c5796a7a179c665a/Information_sharing_duty_statutory_guidance.pdf
Showcase Safeguarding Page: https://showcasetraining.co.uk/safeguarding/