The publication of Ofsted’s updated Early Years Inspection Toolkit, due to come into force in September 2026, provides an important insight into the future direction of inspection. While many of the updates appear procedural on first reading, a closer look at the evidence base reveals a significant shift that every early years leader should take notice of.
One of the most notable developments is Ofsted’s repeated reference throughout the safeguarding section to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 (WTTSC 2026) alongside the EYFS statutory framework.
For years, many providers have viewed Working Together primarily as guidance aimed at local authorities, safeguarding partners, designated safeguarding leads and wider multi-agency professionals. However, Ofsted’s latest toolkit demonstrates that the principles within WTTSC 2026 have directly informed the expectations inspectors will use when evaluating safeguarding practice.
This matters.
Safeguarding Expectations Are Expanding Beyond Compliance
The updated toolkit repeatedly links safeguarding standards to themes drawn directly from Working Together 2026, including:
- Creating an open safeguarding culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
- Identifying children who may require early help.
- Understanding the heightened vulnerability of babies, young children and children with SEND.
- Effective multi-agency working.
- Supporting children and families to access appropriate services.
- Reporting concerns, making referrals and maintaining robust records.
- Reflective safeguarding practice and continuous review of systems and processes.
Taken together, these references signal a clear message: safeguarding is no longer being viewed solely through the lens of policies, procedures and compliance.
Instead, inspectors will increasingly be looking at culture, leadership, professional curiosity and how effectively safeguarding is embedded into everyday practice.
The question is no longer simply, “Do you have the right procedures?”
The question is increasingly becoming, “How effectively do your staff understand and live those procedures every day?”
Safe Sleeping, Weaning and Safer Eating Move Up the Agenda
Another significant change within the toolkit is the enhanced focus on babies’ welfare.
Ofsted has added:
- Additional evidence-gathering prompts relating to statutory guidance on safe sleeping arrangements.
- Greater emphasis on safer eating and weaning practices.
- A new welfare and wellbeing standard specifically addressing safer sleeping, eating and weaning.
- Expectations that inspectors will actively check how settings are implementing this statutory guidance.
This represents one of the clearest examples of inspection expectations moving beyond documentation towards implementation.
Leaders should expect inspectors to explore not only whether staff know the guidance, but how consistently it is applied in practice.
For providers caring for babies, this should prompt a review of:
- Staff training.
- Risk assessments.
- Sleep monitoring arrangements.
- Weaning procedures.
- Supervision and quality assurance processes.
Inclusion Receives Greater Attention
Several updates reinforce Ofsted’s growing focus on inclusion.
Inspectors will now:
- Speak directly with the person acting as Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo).
- Consider discussions with other leaders responsible for inclusion.
- Gather additional evidence regarding children with Personal Education Plans.
- Engage, where appropriate, with Virtual School Heads and professionals supporting previously looked-after children, children with social workers and those in kinship care arrangements.
Grading Standards Tighten
Leaders should ensure that inclusion strategies are understood across the setting and not viewed as the sole responsibility of a SENCo.
Grading Standards Tighten
Ofsted has also clarified that providers must meet both:
- The standards outlined within the inspection toolkit, and
- The relevant EYFS statutory requirements.
This may seem a small amendment, but it reinforces the expectation that inspection judgements are rooted in both statutory compliance and the broader quality standards contained within the toolkit.
Importantly, additional clarity has also been added to safeguarding “not met” statements where the quality of care has resulted in children being harmed or placed at risk of harm.
What Should Leaders Be Asking Themselves Now?
The repeated references to Working Together 2026 raise several important questions for leaders.
Does your team understand Working Together 2026?
Many practitioners have never read the document and may not recognise how directly its principles now align with inspection expectations. Read my blog here: https://eden-ts.com/hot-topics/new-guidance-working-together-to-safeguard-children-2026/
Can staff explain the difference between safeguarding, child protection and early help?
These concepts are often used interchangeably, yet they represent distinct responsibilities.
How confident are practitioners in recognising vulnerability in babies and young children?
The toolkit places particular emphasis on understanding vulnerability and responding appropriately.
Is multi-agency working effective and purposeful?
Can staff articulate how they work with health professionals, social care, local authority services and other agencies to support children and families?
Do supervision processes strengthen safeguarding practice?
Supervision should be more than an operational discussion. It should encourage reflection, challenge, professional curiosity and continuous improvement.
Is safeguarding genuinely viewed as everyone’s responsibility?
Or is it still perceived as the responsibility of a safeguarding lead alone?
The Bigger Picture
While the September 2026 updates contain several technical changes, the strongest message emerging from the toolkit is one of culture.
Ofsted appears increasingly interested in understanding how safeguarding lives within settings rather than simply how it is documented.
The emphasis on early help, vulnerability, partnership working, reflective practice and shared responsibility aligns closely with the direction of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.
For early years leaders, this presents an opportunity.
Those who invest now in developing staff understanding, strengthening safeguarding culture and embedding the principles of Working Together across their teams are likely to be well placed when the new toolkit comes into force.
Strong safeguarding is not simply about meeting statutory requirements.
It is about creating environments where children, families and practitioners receive the right help, at the right time, from the right people.
Understanding the bigger picture has never been more important.
