To think that having to have a DBS check to home educate is unfair.

As a parent of a schooled child do you ever leave your children in the sole care of other school-sending parents for your child to play/ have sleep overs? Have you checked their DBS?

Sure. Better yet, do it earlier and try and ensure that when children are born they aren't being taken home by people who are a danger to them.

Arbitrary though it may end up being, I doubt it's beyond human capability to determine that
"shoplifting charge as a teenager"= Fine.
"history of domestic abuse and domestic violence" = Not Fine .
And everything in-between.

As home educators, do you ever leave your children in the sole care of other home educators? (Ie to share the load/learning) If so, then absolutely a DBS is appropriate

Is it? What about parents giving a lift to sport events? What about play dates?

I'm not sure that a DBS check is the most effective way of going about it but I do think there should be ongoing monitoring of HE kids, both for educational standards and welfare checking. Schools are major reporters of welfare concerns and a child out of that loop is potentially at greater risk. Please note "potentially", I'm not implying that the vast majority of HE parents are not absolutely fine.

I suppose all those in favour of dbs and checks for home education would be happy for spot checks if their fridge, like an extension of packed lunch policies?
We have an obesity epidemic having a huge impact on children, many are out at risk through poverty or simply neglected.
fridge checks could improve the lives of many.

where is the line when it becomes intrusive, as I presume most consider the above intrusive- regardless of the positive impact it could have on health

The government could also start with actually requiring DBS checks for police officers. I was really shocked that you could become a police officer with a criminal record. A recent one as well, not just youth crime.

Nobody needed a DBS to home school their children during the pandemic. Lots of parents and children were just left to get on with it.

As home educators, do you ever leave your children in the sole care of other home educators? (Ie to share the load/learning)

If so, then absolutely a DBS is appropriate.

But if you only educate your own children and always supervise your children when around others, then no I think it's OTT.

Most people choose to be educators for the right reasons. Some choose it to actively be around young vulnerable children.

If it protects even one child, which it’s likely to do and more then I am all for it. Sure it won’t protect them all but it will stop some.

excellent idea and rhey need to go further to protect the vulnerable in society. Anyone who has nothing to hide won’t have an issue with this.

@FourTeaFallOut
Could any one of the posters who think that this is fine tell me if they think also all sahps should be dbs checked to look after babies and infants who do not attend a formal learning setting?

For babies and toddlers there are health visitors and GPs.
Why would you be against a simple check like that? It takes 5 mins to fill out the DBS a application form.

The Schools Bill should be looking at why secondary schools are such a fucking bearpit that many children cannot cope with the environment and no alternative provision is offered.

I home educate with my husband. We teach part time in the same LA we live in and I’m a scout leader. I wonder if I’d need another DBS from the LA to teach my own children 😏

Ofsted found our local school was not undertaking pre-employment checks, including DBS on one inspection.

For a year I meant to write, not over a year.

Technically possible, but very difficult in this country, thankfully.

I do know of two siblings in a different country with far less bureaucratic infrastructure who were not on any kind of record until their early teens. Both had been abused, one to a greater extent than the other.

Many schoolchildren are abused without anyone knowing. It's not as simple as saying that school staff are trained to spot abuse so school children are safe.
(Abuse also happens in schools)

The horrible irony is that under the Schools Bill a parent could be convicted of not sending their child to school when the child has mental health issues and refuses to attend school. And they could go to prison for over a year.

I'm sure that would massively help their child get back into education.

YANBU, it's ridiculous and pointless. If this is the thinking then it should apply to all expectant parents, any adults joining the household from birth until they start school

There's plenty off abuse cases of babies, toddlers and children attending school, many already on SS radar.

YABU. When child attends school there are teachers that might spot safeguarding issues and report, this wouldn’t be the case for a child educated at home.

Could any one of the posters who think that this is fine tell me if they think also all sahps should be dbs checked to look after babies and infants who do not attend a formal learning setting?

Because that would seem the logical and consistent conclusion to this line out thinking but the point seems to be avoided entirely.

Sorry. I mean that giving the information that you are giving to the LA isn't compulsory.

We can't use the GP online consult service for children

Anyway, I didn't say that you should refuse to give the information to the LA or GP, just pointing out that parents have no legal obligation to give information about their child's education to the LA. The LA have the right to make enquiries if there are concerns

What happens if a parent does have a conviction?

Does this mean a child would be automatically taken into care?

It’s a brilliant idea. All children have a right to safe guarding, why should be worried about what they may find

so should all parents be DSB checked, and grandparents?

I'd guess it works fine as long as you can afford private health care, and you never want to travel outside the UK.

If something happens that requires A&E, then it probably gets a bit more tricky. Of course they'll still get treated, because no one checks documents in a genuine emergency. But after they've been stabilised/treated they'll be a lot of questions.

Well, no. Because if a child was attending school there would be 7 hours a day every day where other safeguarding trained adults could report if there was an issue.