Information sharing: what changes on 30 September?

Updated statutory guidance reflects the new information-sharing duty coming into force on 30 September 2026. For residential homes, the practical question remains how to share relevant information promptly, lawfully and with a clear safeguarding purpose.

What has changed

The Department for Education updated its information-sharing guidance on 10 September. The guidance now reflects the duty under section 16LA of the Children Act 2004 and includes strategic and operational data-sharing agreement templates.

Who the guidance is for

The guidance covers frontline practitioners, managers, senior leaders and organisations providing safeguarding and welfare services. It applies across local authorities, health, police, education, justice and other safeguarding partners. Residential providers should understand how their own role fits within local arrangements rather than assume every piece of information should be shared with everyone.

What good practice still requires

Information sharing should have a clear purpose. Staff need to understand what is relevant, who needs it, whether delay could increase risk, and how the decision was recorded. A secure system can preserve the source, access history and follow-up, but it cannot replace professional judgement.

Share for a reason. Record the decision. Keep the child’s welfare at the centre.

Questions for homes

Do staff know who to contact outside normal hours? Can the home show what was shared, with whom and why? Are local agreements current? Can managers identify a delay or failed hand-off before it disappears into a chronology?

Primary source: Department for Education: Information sharing to safeguard children and young people.