THE DUTIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITH REGARDS TO HOME EDUCATION, INCLUDING

SAFEGUARDING AND ASSURING THE QUALITY OF HOME EDUCATION;

I have had first hand experience of my LA overstepping their boundaries with my own family, and with some of the many families locally that I support as a peer supporter.

I believe that an increase is unnecessary and that when correctly administered, their current powers are more than adequate.

Aside from being a home educator, I am a qualified Social Worker, Nurse and Health Visitor. I have worked in the safeguarding of children my entire career.

Clearly, fully supported by statistics, the most vulnerable children in our society are those aged 0-5, with the most at risk aged 0-12 months. There are no statutory services (health visiting is not a statutory service) for the most vulnerable of society.

It is a dangerous falsehood to claim that home educated children are more at risk of abuse or that the current laws are not enough to safeguard home educated children. If it is enough for the most at risk then it is enough for all children. Unless there are statutory services planned for the 0-5 year olds too?

B. WHETHER A STATUTORY REGISTER OF HOME-EDUCATED CHILDREN IS REQUIRED;

The parent retains responsibility of a child's education, however it is provided. It is not the states role.

Statutory registers are currently used for sex offenders, and proposed for domestic abusers.

There is no other national register for British citizens based on them exercising their legal and moral right to parent their children.

C. THE BENEFITS CHILDREN GAIN FROM HOME EDUCATION, AND THE POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGES THEY MAY FACE;

Children do not crawl, walk or talk at the same age yet they get to the age of 4 (very young compared to the rest of the world) and they are expected to all learn the same information at the same time, taught in the same way.

The children can be 12 months of age difference between them but still the expectation is the same.

One of the many benefits to home education is that children have the freedom and flexibility to learn at their own pace and in the style that suits them best.

Any potential disadvantages could possibly arise regarding financial constraints with travel, exams, and extra-curricular activities.

D. THE QUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SUPPORT (INCLUDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT) AVAILABLE FOR HOME EDUCATORS AND THEIR CHILDREN, INCLUDING THOSE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, DISABILITIES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, OR CARING RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THOSE MAKING THE TRANSITION TO FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION;

All children in the UK should have equal access to support, if needed, and on a voluntary basis, regardless of where they are educated.

E. WHETHER THE CURRENT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IS SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE THAT THE WELLBEING AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF HOME EDUCATED CHILDREN IS SAFEGUARDED,

INCLUDING WHERE THEY MAY ATTEND UNREGISTERED SCHOOLS, HAVE BEEN FORMALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL, OR HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO ‘OFF-ROLLING’;

I believe that the current framework is sufficient, although many LA’s would benefit from training in the law concerning home education.

Unregistered schools are not home education. Off rolling is not elective home education.

These issues are often conflated with elective home education and it needs to be explicitly clear that they are entirely separate.

F. THE ROLE THAT INSPECTION SHOULD PLAY IN FUTURE REGULATION OF HOME EDUCATION;

The Government will not be able to ensure that every LA applies the same standard or consistency. An Inspection can be subjective.

A register would be a considerable waste of funds that could be used to provide resources for the Home Education community.

Including subsidised use of council run sports facilities, exam fees and subsidised museum/other educational opportunities.

G. WHAT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO SUPPORT HOME EDUCATORS SINCE THE 2010-15  EDUCATION COMMITTEE PUBLISHED THEIR REPORT ON ‘SUPPORT FOR HOME EDUCATION’ IN 2012:

Very little. The current guidance is open to be interpreted differently by individual LA’s who often lack understanding of EHE and often only see education from within the narrow view of school being optimal for all children.

H. THE IMPACT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON HOME EDUCATED CHILDREN, AND WHAT ADDITIONAL MEASURES MIGHT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO MITIGATE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS.’

Covid 19 restrictions have meant that home educated children could not meet socially.

Until the latest update, (6/11/2020) the guidance has been vague and unclear– schools returned swiftly and children could mix but opportunities for home educating families were left very limited.

The needs of home educated children and young people need to keep being explicitly addressed in ongoing Covid guidance.

Exams – children who were home educated were left disadvantaged by Ofqual unless they had a tutor or exam centre to assess them. These children had prepared for exams, but were let down, and forced to consider alternatives