Very well put. We've never used actual tutors because they're a resource that' was too expensive for us to access if we wanted to do other expensive things too.
We also started before they where commonplace so developed how to suceed without, found most of it fun and just carried on s we are...
But, we're in resource full London, are mobile, able to hit Europe, and on the internet, so all mine have used conversations with all sorts of useful people online and real life ranging from bored academics to scientists at CERN to further maths nerds to discuss concepts with. They all do a lot of arts, music and theater, and or sports, and bands, theater, dance groups, and teams feature a fair bit, so meet loads of others from lots of different educational situations and walks of life.
Because we get out and about, they have a large social group which never happened with older ones at school as either too tired, homework swamped, declared an uncool nerd, or or to worried about school politics and who was or wasn't cool to be associated with. None of those issues with most of the home ed crowd. One very MC teen stoner was a mild concern, but it became clear early that my lot where unimpressed with them doing little. They still try and drag them out, but sadly are rarely successful.
Secondary level also do FutureLearn uni courses for things that interest them and quite often once one HE kid gets into something, others will join up and they then do projects together as a result. of mutual interest.
We've also hosted home edders from other countries, which is great for languages.
We also make full use of the Royal Society’s annual cutting-edge science fair and make contacts with university researchers from universities and science institutions there and at similar events, as well as Royal society of Arts,
Clore galleries, and the education spaces of so many institutions and museums for free up and down the country. People who love their subject and believe in education are always happy to talk to genuinely interested kids and share resources.
Most of the more MC home edders we know use tutors at some points, especially around exams, many go to college for A levels, but that's because they have different lifestyles and other things they value, to us, and that works better for them. But all the kids mix happily enough and lift skills and ideas from each other, and as they get older often find different routes have brought them to the same uni's or professions.
No one here is into Facebook or Tik Tok so we know little of the lifestyle blogger lot or the not really interested but in grief with the school system parents.
We do come across lots of back footed as we where, often SEN/bullied, and more recently extreme anxiety, and try and point them towards what might work for them.
We've met the occasional rabid judgemental anti something/everything home educator, but far more that use schools and can't accept others who don't, especially at swimming and during their school holidays.
Most home edders we meet keep most judgement of others to themselves.
But when we first started TBH I was a little gobsmacked and disbelieving of the 'unschooling' folk. But they and we made initially cautious friendships, and over the years having seen it's outcomes, I'll just say it's not something I'd dare do, or feel secure doing, but if done well it's clearly a valid choice.
The thing most of us have in common is for one reason or another, not being able to get what our children and families need or want from the state education system, and not in the private school league either. Far from 'a race to the bottom' IME it's mainly parents who want more for their children, making it happen.