How do I find other 'home-education' families?

[CS123]

Can anyone help? I'm wanting to know how you find other families and groups who home educate, as I'm seriously considering taking my primary school aged children out of main stream education, but am worried about the social side for them. Does anyone have any advice?

Hi CS, I've just bumped another thread about this for you. Post separately to let us know if you're still having trouble finding people, and I'm sure someone will be able to help!

where are you?- you don't need to be too specific (I took my dds out this time last year and was veeeeeery cagey on here due to spying somewhat odd nature of school management!)

I'm North London/Hertfordshire so hopefully there should be something round about, or though as far as I can tell from the local authority website home ed doesn't exist.

I joined the Home-Ed UK website and met some lovely families. There seem to be quite a few groups around London (I'm nearer Milton Keynes). Education Otherwise send you a contact list if you join which could be useful or just Google "home education X area" which is how I found one group!

"as far as I can tell from the local authority website home ed doesn't exist"

Many LAs seem to wish it didn't! It's quite ironic that they aren't more helpful about getting HE families in touch with each other, given that one of their complaints about home education is the alleged isolation that they think children will suffer!

We've pointed this out to our LA, which is still dragging its heels about putting the contact info for our local group onto their website or into the letters they send families who have just left school.

We started to Home Ed in June and it has taken several months to join groups and meet others. I have found groups by searching Home Ed and the area but then found that I had to join Yahoo groups to find out about meet ups and organised events.

It's been slow but so far worthwhile, everyone we have met has been nice and the children are happy with the amount of time they spend with others. In fact both children have adapted well and neither seem to be worried that they don't socialise for 6 hrs for five days, if anything they are happier and less stressed. They also appreciate each other and their relationship has been strengthened.

Hi

There is a clickable Uk Map on Education Otherwise site. I run a group on Kent/Sussex/Surrey borders - www.flags-education.org.uk and my contact details are on there too, if I can be of any help.

Best Wishes

Try posting a notice with an email address in your local childrens library.

Have a look at the "education otherwise" web site.