Information sharing in safeguarding at international schools

Share when the information could help keep a child safe or help them get the right support. You do not need proof. A worry, a pattern or a small detail can matter once it sits next to what someone else knows.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2026 tells staff not to assume a colleague or another professional will pass on information that could be critical. It says early sharing is vital. KCSIE is statutory guidance in England, and many international schools use it as a reference.

If you are a member of staff with a worry, follow your school's child protection procedure and tell the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) the same day. If a child is in immediate danger, call local emergency services first.

Treat safeguarding information as need-to-know. A member of staff passes a concern to the DSL. The DSL then decides who else must hear, and how much.

Most colleagues need to know what to do. A class teacher may only need to watch for changes and report them the same day. A counsellor or boarding staff member may need more.

Governors and owners need themes and totals. A termly report can show how many concerns were raised and how the school responded, with no child named.

When a colleague raises a concern, you might say: 'Thank you for telling me. Please write down what you saw today and keep it to yourself. I will tell you what happens next.'

Ask three questions before you tell anyone:

• Will this person protect or support the child better if they know?
• What is the least they need to know to do that?
• Where will they keep it, and who else could see it?

Never promise to keep a secret. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) tells adults never to promise a child that what they say will stay secret. KCSIE 2026 gives the same rule when a child reports sexual violence or harassment.

You can still be warm and honest. Tell the child early, in simple words, that you may need to pass things on to keep them safe. Say who you will tell and why.

Listen, and do not ask leading questions. Afterwards, write down the child's exact words and tell the DSL the same day. See how to respond when a child discloses abuse.

These words can help:

• 'I am glad you told me. You are not in trouble.'
• 'I cannot promise to keep this secret, because my job is to keep you safe.'
• 'I will only tell the people who can help you.'
• 'I will tell you who I am going to tell, if I can.'
• 'Thank you for trusting me.'

Ask for consent when it is safe to ask and you are sharing to offer support. The International Taskforce on Child Protection (ITFCP) advises sharing with consent when possible, with safety and well-being first.

A serious concern does not depend on consent. England's information sharing guidance, in force from 30 September 2026, says consent is not required. It also says a parent's objection, or your fear of a complaint, is not a reason to hold back.

That guidance covers organisations in England, so use it as a reference and check your own law. If you plan to share anyway, do not ask for consent. It gives the family a false choice.

Tell parents what you have shared, unless that could raise the risk to the child. Take extra care when someone at home may be the source of harm. Ask the agency what to say and when, and record the advice.

Use plain words with parents, for example:

• 'I need to share some information with the child protection service so we can help your child.'
• 'I will share only what they need, and I will tell you what I can.'
• 'I cannot keep this private, because safety comes first.'

Every child has a right to privacy and a right to protection from abuse, both set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Good sharing respects both. It passes on what protects the child and keeps the rest private.

Data protection law sets rules for sharing and does not forbid it. KCSIE 2026 says data protection laws do not prevent sharing to keep children safe. The United Kingdom's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) adds that holding back information a child needs can cause harm.

Consent is only one lawful reason to share. Laws such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also allow sharing to meet a legal duty, to do a public task or to protect someone's vital interests. Health details and similar data need an extra condition.

Your country's law may differ. The ITFCP says lack of knowledge should not stop you sharing, and advises schools to get expert advice on local law when privacy assumptions hold data back.

The ITFCP says shared information should meet these tests:

• Necessary: it helps someone protect or support the child.
• Proportionate: you share the least that does the job.
• Relevant and adequate: it covers the risk and leaves out the rest.
• Accurate: facts are checked and opinions are labelled.
• Timely: you share early, as soon as you can.
• Secure: you use the school's safe channel.

Pick the right recipient first. This is usually the local child protection authority, the police, a doctor or therapist, or the child's new school. Your school's procedure and your country's mandatory reporting laws say which.

In an urgent case, phone first and follow up in writing. Give facts, and label opinions as opinions. A short summary is often enough, and England's guidance asks for relevant extracts over whole case files.

A call can be short: 'I am the DSL at my school, calling about one of our students. Here is what we saw and heard, and what we have done so far.'

When a child moves, send the child protection file separately from the main file, by a secure route, and ask for confirmation of receipt. KCSIE 2026 sets five days for an in-year move in England. See moving schools and transferring records.

Whatever the route, build in these habits:

• Check who is asking, and call back on an official number.
• Use the school's secure system, or an encrypted file with the password sent separately.
• Avoid personal email and chat apps.
• Do not paste child details into public chatbot tools.
• Keep a copy of what you sent and when.

More than one country's rules can touch the same child. The law where your school sits usually matters most. The family's home country, your school's owner and your accreditor may add their own expectations.

Rules on sending personal data to another country vary. Many laws allow it in an urgent child protection case, but conditions differ. Ask your data protection lead or counsel in advance.

Check who holds parental responsibility before you share with a parent. Separated parents may live in different countries, and a court order may limit who can receive information. Ask to see the order and take advice.

Families sometimes move away fast after a concern is raised. Agree in advance who sends the file, to whom, and by which secure route. If the family will not say where the child is going, take advice before you share.

These habits help with cross-border families:

• Ask local counsel which country's rules cover your school's records.
• Keep a short list of local child protection and police contacts.
• Use a trained interpreter, and never a sibling or another student.
• If the local system is unclear, talk to your Head, legal adviser and DSL peers.

Log every decision to share, and every decision not to share. The ITFCP says to record what was shared, with whom, and why. The NSPCC asks for the reasons to be recorded too.

Each entry can be short. For the wider habit, see how to record a safeguarding concern. Use these fields:

• Date and time of the decision, and who made it.
• The concern in one line, with a link to the full record.
• Who you shared with, and their role.
• What you shared and why it was needed.
• Whether you sought consent, and what happened.
• Whether the child and parents were told, and if not, why.
• Review date, replies and actions.