The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 has introduced a new Information Sharing Duty, providing greater clarity for organisations and practitioners about what information should be shared, when it should be shared, and why effective information sharing is essential to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The Government’s statutory guidance came into force on 30 September 2026.

Key messages for practitioners

The new guidance represents a significant shift in approach, placing children’s wellbeing and safety at the centre of information-sharing decisions and removing many of the perceived barriers that have previously prevented information from being shared appropriately. Rather than focusing on whether a child meets a particular safeguarding threshold, practitioners are expected to share information whenever it may help another organisation fulfil its safeguarding and welfare responsibilities.

What has changed?

The new duty makes clear that:

• There is no requirement for a child to meet a statutory threshold before information can be shared.
• Information should be shared where it is relevant to safeguarding and promoting a child’s welfare. This includes concerns relating to:
  • Early Help and prevention
  • Emerging concerns
  • Child protection concerns
  • Risks posed to or by a child
  • Assessment, decision-making, and support provision
• The duty applies not only to information about the child, but also relevant information about parents, carers, family members, and others connected to the child where it may support safeguarding decision-making.
• An organisation covered by the duty must share information with another organisation covered by the duty both when relevant information is identified and when it receives a request for relevant information from another organisation covered by the duty.

When should information be shared?

Information should be shared when:

• It is relevant to safeguarding or promoting the welfare of a child.
• It may help another organisation assess need or risk, make decisions, provide support, undertake Early Help activity, or protect a child.
• Consideration has been given to whether sharing would be detrimental to the child. The guidance makes it clear that this exemption is expected to apply only in very limited circumstances.

Who does the duty apply to?

• Local authorities
• Education and designated childcare
• Health services (Integrated Care Boards, NHS Trusts)
• Police
• Prison and probation services
• Youth justice services and youth custody services
• Providers delivering services pursuant to arrangements made by the above for
  functions relating to safeguarding and promoting welfare. This includes GPs,
  dentists, and other primary care providers.

Dispelling common myths

The guidance also provides important clarification that:

• Information may still need to be shared even where consent has not been obtained.
• The Common Law Duty of Confidentiality does not prevent appropriate safeguarding information sharing.
• Data protection legislation supports lawful information sharing and should not be viewed as a barrier.
• Parental objections or practitioner uncertainty alone are not valid reasons to withhold information where the duty applies.

Find out more

The statutory guidance should be read alongside key safeguarding documents, including Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026. Practitioners are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new duty and consider how it applies to their day-to-day safeguarding practice.

Read the statutory guidance: Information Sharing Duty