I've just name changed to share that this is my job. Similar to the article, I was a teacher previously. I started earlier than the author of this piece and really saw the pick up in 2020.
I stick with it because I do work with some lovely families who have made the right choice to home educate their children. However the amount of deregistrations on a whim is ridiculous. Similar to the article, I work in a very deprived area and I believe up to 70% of my caseload have a subpar education. There are those who are doing an amazing job but so many who are being let down by a system which is being exploited for it's ease. At this time it is doing no favours to any family who home educate - even those who do a better job than school are being tarred with the same brush as those who really take no interest in their children's education or simply can't deliver any sort of education due to ability.
I truly believe that this is going to be a massive scandal in the future and does feel like the most needy children are going to be the victims of this. We have parents who openly say that they can't educate their children or are illiterate themselves.
I do really recognise that some families do a brilliant job but this number is being drown out by those who really are getting a sub par education which is having a huge knock on effect on their post 16 chances. At the moment 25% of NEET in my area are previous EHE.