Home educating my niece is it possible?

[CadburySpot]

So here is a bit of background:
I started home educating my children this year and it is the best decision I ever made.
My niece also lives with us, she has lived here for the past 3 years. We don't have any formal or legal paperwork, she came to live here instead of the social services taking my SIL to court to remove my niece from her care. My SIL rarely comes to see my niece, probably once every few months (when she can be bothered to show up).
My niece has recently been asking if she can stay at home, and be home educated along with my children. SIL is against this (I asked her when I removed my children from school).
My question is would it be possible for me to remove her from school without her mother's permission or will I have to tell her she has to go to school even though she doesn't want to? Can anyone help?

[Starlight345]

Do you have any pr ?

[JeanPagett]

Do you have any ongoing contact with social services regarding your niece? Is there any formal arrangement in place e.g. a child arrangements order or special guardianship order?

[CadburySpot]

No there is no formal arrangements in order, I did go see a lawyer about it but we just couldn't afford the legal fees. Contact with the social worker stopped over a year ago, she decided that she is happy that my niece is being looked after by us. So she was closing case as long as my niece remains in our care and continues to be supervised when her mother visits.

[PretzelPrincess]

I think if your niece is living with you for the foreseeable future then it's imperative you get some legal advice and make it a formal arrangement.

[CadburySpot]

If we could afford to we would but unfortunately at the moment we just don't have the funds available.

[Rebecca36]

Though the social worker closed your case I'm sure she or he would be happy to advise you, CadburySpot. Worth a try to give a ring.

[JeanPagett]

I agree that you should try and contact the social worker for further advice.

Legally it is likely the school will require the consent of the individual(s) with PR in order for you to withdraw your niece.

In addition with nothing to formalise the existing care arrangements it is possible that your SIL could simply remove her DD from your care should you try and home educate (unless SS issue an urgent care order or similar).

I would give serious thought to trying to obtain PR for your niece, if at all possible.

[Mama1980]

Without legal permission or parental consent then no you can't as far as I'm aware. You need a SGO in place.

[NotANotMan]

You need to apply for a child arrangement order to get PR. £215 and a form c100.

[wonderandwander]

I remember you from a last thread.

You are young - 24? And you have a baby.

How are you managing to balancing home ed and a baby?

As for your age, I’m guessing you have no experience in teaching in any capacity. Am I right?

[Velvetbee]

Plenty of home educating families continue to have new babies whilst home educating. It’s perfectly possible wonder, what’s your point?

Home educators don’t need teaching experience either, they’re generally not delivering a set curriculum or dealing with 30 children the same age. Teaching your family requires a completely different skill-set.

[CadburySpot]

Thank you to everyone for your replies, I will ring and see if I can get any help from the social worker. We are trying to save money towards a care order but so far it's not going so well.
And wonder like valet I don't see your point. What does my age and the fact that I have a young child have to do with anything. Just because I have no teaching experience does not mean I can't teach my children and give them a good education.

[wonderandwander]

The fact that you can’t seem to see that

1. You're Young
   
2. Have a baby
   
3. No experience whatsoever in teaching, let alone home schooling.
   

Says it all really

[OhHolyJesus]

I'm old, with a young child and I see the benefits of home schooling more and more.

OP, I agree that you need some formal advice and you will obviously need to pursue legal channels but if your SIL says no you might be better off to keep your niece in school, explain to her that her mother insists and that you can make a change in the future once you have that kind of authority. If you did anything without her consent I'd worry that it might affect your formal application in the future. She rarely sees her daughter but she might be the kind to kick up Merry hell when she wants to and obstruct your plans for full parental control.

[ommmward]

wonderandwander

I don't see what the age of a parent has to do with anything. The law doesn't discriminate between a 24 year old mother and a 40 year old mother. There's no reason to think that a 24 year old parent would take the education of their child any less seriously than a 40 year old would.

I was home educating when I had another baby. Anyone home educating with more than one child, and an age gap more than 5 years between the oldest and youngest is going to be home educating with a baby in the mix. It's really common. And it's no more a problem than it is a problem having a toddler around the house when there is a baby in the mix. Mothers of more than one child juggle - that's what we do - and, again there's no reason to think that's a problem.

Don't worry. A teaching qualification is pretty much the last thing you want or need as a home educator (I say this as someone with a teaching qualification who had to throw a million assumptions out of the window once we embarked on home education. It really is not the same thing as institutionally based, curriculum based, top down education at all). Home educating takes no special qualifications, beyond a willingness to help your child discover what they need to know, and the ability to ask friends, family and other home educators for help when needed/wanted. There are SO MANY resources out there - free or cheap, often - that it's really not difficult nowadays.