The Supervision Exemption Is Ending: What Schools Need to Know from 1 September 2026

A significant change to regulated activity with children comes into force on 1 September 2026. Here’s what schools, colleges and childcare settings need to know.

From 1 September 2026, changes introduced through the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will remove the long-standing supervision exemption from the definition of regulated activity with children.

For schools, the biggest impact will be on volunteers who regularly work with children but who, until now, may not have required an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information because they were supervised by a member of staff.

The change is designed to strengthen safeguarding and ensure that individuals who regularly work with children are appropriately checked, regardless of whether they are paid employees or volunteers.

What is changing?

Currently, some unpaid activities involving children are not considered regulated activity where the individual is appropriately supervised by someone who is themselves in regulated activity.

• This can apply to activities such as:

• Teaching or training children

• Instructing children

• Caring for or supervising children

• Supporting children in educational settings

From 1 September 2026, the supervision exemption will be removed.

This means that these activities will be considered regulated activity when they are carried out frequently (more than three days in a 30-day period) or overnight.

For volunteers who meet these conditions, an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information will be required.

Who will be affected?

The main group affected by the change is volunteers.

Paid staff who have contact with children are already considered to be undertaking regulated activity, so there is no change to their position.

However, schools should consider the range of volunteers who regularly support pupils. This could include:

• Regular classroom volunteers

• Parents who regularly support learning activities

• Volunteers involved in mentoring or pupil support

• Individuals supporting interventions or enrichment activities

• Volunteers helping with regular clubs or activities

• Volunteers accompanying pupils on residential or overnight trips

The key question is no longer simply whether a volunteer is supervised. Schools will need to consider the nature and frequency of the activity they undertake.

What about parents who occasionally help?

The changes do not mean that every parent who helps at school will suddenly require an enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information.

Occasional volunteers remain outside the new requirements where they do not meet the frequency or overnight conditions.

For example, the government guidance specifically identifies parents helping at an occasional PTA event or accompanying pupils on a school day trip as examples of volunteering that would not normally be affected.

Schools can still choose to request an appropriate DBS check where they consider it necessary.

What about residential trips?

This is an important area for schools to consider.

All volunteers who help on an overnight school trip will be undertaking regulated activity and will therefore need an enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information.

This means schools should review their arrangements for volunteers supporting residential visits well in advance of the new academic year.

Trip organisers, educational visits coordinators and safeguarding leads should make sure that appropriate checks are in place before volunteers participate in overnight activities.

What if a volunteer works across several schools?

The frequency condition applies across settings.

For example, a volunteer who supports children for four days during a 30-day period could meet the threshold even if those four days take place across four different schools.

The Department for Education therefore encourages schools to work together where individuals volunteer across multiple settings. A volunteer can provide details of their DBS check to each school.

Volunteers may also wish to join the DBS Update Service, which allows their certificate to be kept up to date and enables organisations to check the status of the certificate without necessarily requiring a new DBS application. The service is free for volunteers.

What should schools do now?

With the change coming into force at the start of September, schools should use the summer period to review their current arrangements.

1. Audit your volunteers

Identify everyone who currently volunteers in your setting and consider:

• What activities do they undertake?

• How regularly do they work with children?

• Do they work across more than one setting?

• Do they take part in overnight activities?

• Are they currently relying on the supervision exemption?

2. Review DBS arrangements

Identify volunteers who are likely to fall within regulated activity from 1 September and ensure the appropriate DBS checks are completed.

DBS checks for volunteers are free of charge.

3. Review your policies and procedures

Consider whether your:

• Safeguarding and child protection policy

• Safer recruitment procedures

• Volunteer policy

• Educational visits procedures

• DBS procedures accurately reflect the new requirements.

4. Brief relevant staff and governors

This change should not sit solely with the DSL or HR team.

Headteachers, senior leaders, governors, educational visits coordinators and staff responsible for managing volunteers should understand what is changing and what it means for their setting.

A stronger safeguarding culture

The removal of the supervision exemption represents an important shift in how regulated activity is considered.

The principle is straightforward: regular contact with children should receive appropriate safeguarding scrutiny, whether the individual is paid or volunteering.

For schools, the immediate priority is to identify which volunteers will now fall within regulated activity and make sure the appropriate checks are completed before the new requirements come into force.

Safeguarding is not simply about meeting a statutory requirement. It is about creating environments where children are protected from harm and where everyone who works with them understands their responsibilities.

The new rules come into force on 1 September 2026. Schools should review their volunteer arrangements now rather than waiting until the new academic year begins.

Further information

Schools can read the full Department for Education guidance on the removal of the supervision exemption on GOV.UK. Read the full GOV.UK guidance

Prospero Learning provides accessible, expert-led safeguarding and compliance training designed to help education professionals keep their knowledge up to date and meet their responsibilities.