to think home ed families are going to have to accept more oversight?

[DrZaraCarmichael]

To try to prevent more cases like Sara Sharif. Taken out of school - where teachers were raising concerns - and then apparently fell off the radar.

Yes children's services have to look long and hard at themselves but taking a child out of school, especially when there has been previous SS involvement, has to raise a whole field of red flags surely??

I can see how families who are home educating for the right reasons and who have nothing to hide will see this as intrusive and unnecessary. But something has to change, right?

Absolutely. One of the biggest safeguarding red flags is a pattern of absence from school. Obviously there are situations with illness where this happens and isn't a safeguarding concern, but in those cases the school will be fully informed. Yet removing a child from all oversight is considered fine and doesn't trigger any concerns or follow up? It's a blatant loophole for abusers.

The vast majority of homeschooling families won't be abusive at all but it's the minority where a vulnerable child is allowed to drop completely off the radar. Then there are issues with the quality of education children may be receiving; schools aren’t perfect in this respect either but at least there they have qualified teachers and people will be aware if things are sliding.

HE needs far better resourcing and oversight.

I home educate. My heart breaks for Sara. I would be happy to have much more monitoring of home educated children, because I think it would help. Not being in school was obviously a factor here.

The school seems to have acted “well” in this case, with multiple referrals to social services. But taking her out to “home school” with her history I think should’ve set off multiple alarm bells. It’s such a tragedy.

At least where I am- schools don’t have the right to do this once a child is de-rolled unfortunately.

Yes, I am just amazed children are being left without any safe guarding protection or oversight whatsoever and nowhere to turn if they need help. School can literally be life saving for some children. Why would anyone object unless they have something to hide? It needs reforming, yes absolutely.

The UK is very much an outlier in letting kids be home edded with no oversight. In much of Europe it is either illegal or comes with an inspection and official exan regime.

No. As you can see in this case -schools were raising multiple concerns. The teachers in the press have been lumped into the blame game by the press. They appear to be the only ones to have been raising issues. Hence why, she was withdrawn from school.

I think people would be shocked if they knew the kind of behaviour SS “write off” as not a concern - even with other professionals raising repeated concerns. They won’t be bothering for home ed when the dismiss concerns so easily from elsewhere.

Yes - my dc were not allowed at one home Ed group for 2 weeks after their flu vaccines due to ‘shedding’ I’d only mentioned it in passing as had said how it had been difficult to get done as it’s usually done at schools and we had to go to a community clinic . I was treated like we needed decontamination

Schools shouldn’t have to be a child’s ’safe place’, they should be safe in their own home. It’s so sad that for many children school is their only ‘safe space’

I think people would be horrified if they knew the serious stuff that schools deal with and SS bat back as no further action. Teachers pushing and pushing and pushing. Knowing families are living in awful circumstances for SS to NFA, downgrade or ignore. One of the multiple reasons you have a chronic teacher shortage and they are leaving. It’s an awful stress for school staff. They can’t just march in and take these children home without being prosecuted themselves.

What more do people expect teachers to do? The problem lies with a chronically underfunded social care system which is ignoring serious neglect and abuse because it can’t deal with it.

Completely agree. I’ve joined a HE group on Facebook because on our worst days with DS who has ASD I wonder if we’ll need to at some point and wanted to learn more about it. The number of people on there who object strenuously to home visits from any professional is crazy. There are a lot of people strongly advising others to keep communication only in writing etc, and telling them to point blank refuse to provide samples of work when requested as legally they don’t have to. It absolutely needs more regulation and oversight IMO. I know two families who HE and do a great job and I’m sure the majority are like that. But I really think the minority who aren’t absolutely needs more oversight - and if it needs to be a blanket policy, so be it.

I don’t agree. A tiny minority shouldn’t mean the majority have to endure the intrusion.

I agree

Other countries monitor home schooling (or indeed disallow it)

We home educate in Italy. We have to report to our local school yearly, with a portfolio of work, and our kids have to sit yearly exams. Failing the exams can result in a school attendance order. I love this level of regulation. It keeps us on track, but equally, it has put home education into the mainstream, and disempowered the haters. Anyone genuinely engaged in quality home education should welcome regulation, and i'm immediately suspicious of those who don't.

Fucking hell, describing safeguarding as intrusion is one hell of a red flag in itself

Agree

What about children who are in school who are killed like Daniel Pelka? It’s a social services issue not a home Ed issues she was known to social services it was them that failed.

The monitoring we’ve had was no trouble at all - the dc get seen , our home is seen and they check we are offering a suitable education . They asked for gp dentist and optician details too. It really wasn’t any hassle and I think should be for everyone if it even saves 1 child surely it’s worth it. I don’t think home Education is the sole issue but addressing it may close some gaps

I know of two families home educating because they struggle to get up in time for school and struggle to be organised in general. Chaotic lives. Opting out of school is an easier option for them. No specific safeguarding issues, but I feel for the children who deserve an education and aren't getting one at all.
(teenage child is friends with my daughter and admits doing barely any learning and only english and maths)

I remember the outrage of some posters on here during lockdown when teachers either tried to phone families or visit them on their doorstep, felt that was intrusive.

Schools report so many things on their safeguarding system (CPOMS) to help build up a picture. It would be a rare child that doesn’t have something recorded on this system. It’s by joining up the dots that schools can then assess whether it needs to be taken further. Will make an instant referral/call the police if obvious something is seriously wrong

That’s not a concern itself - my dd only does English and maths in preparation for just 3 GCSE’s she then is on a home Ed pathway to a 16-18 course

The children's commissioner agrees letting kids with ss referrals home school is bonkers btw