Section 16E of the Children Act 2004 gives the three safeguarding partners a joint and equal duty to make arrangements to work together, and with relevant agencies, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area (Working Together 2026, paragraphs 41 and 42; KCSIE 2026, paragraphs 133 and 134). ICBs replaced clinical commissioning groups as the health partner.
The partners publish the local arrangements, agree the threshold document, commission child safeguarding practice reviews and arrange independent scrutiny. Each is represented by a lead safeguarding partner, the head of the organisation, and a delegated safeguarding partner.
Schools come in as relevant agencies. KCSIE paragraph 135 expects safeguarding partners to name schools and colleges as relevant agencies, and once named, a school must co-operate with the published arrangements.
What's changing. Section 2 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 will require safeguarding partners to include designated childcare and education agencies in their arrangements. It is only in force so far for making the regulations that will designate those agencies. The DfE's policy summary is clear that schools will not become a fourth statutory safeguarding partner.