Can I just say "no thanks"

[ThreadWatcher]

Hi all
Im really confident at replying when others ask this and always just think "oh you can say no, you dont have to let people visit, you can just write a letter"

But now Ive got my own letter Im wobbling a bit! :o

I started HEing almost three years ago.
After a year the LEA finally contacted me. I wrote an Ed phil etc (wrote way more than I should - I know I know!)

I met the lady in the local library (she wanted to see us at home, I declined. She wanted to meet the dc, I declined) she said she would contact me again in 6 months.
She didnt. In fact I have heard nothing for 18 months. Not a word. Until saturday when we received a letter.

She wants to send a person round to our house in a few weeks (or meet in mutual location).
I just cant be bothered tbh.
I am perfectly happy HEing and dont feel a meeting will add anything and I know the person wont have anything to say that will be helpful. I dont feel the need to enable them to fill in their tick list etc.

So I was going to write back and say "yes Ill meet you in the library"

Now Ive changed my mind. Do you think it will be ok if I just write back a couple of sentances saying "HE is going well I dont feel a visit is necessary at this time. Thanks anyway"

What do you think? Our LEA is seriously slack (rarely seem to bother contacting HErs and dont seem to follow up. My friend threw her letter in the bin and has heard nothing since.....)

And so rude not to acknowledge your letter!

The thing is, they should know more about HE because they've been told often enough. Some of us have made great effort to involve ourselves with the LA and 'educate' them. I spent a fair bit of time canvassing resources etc for an information pack for the LA to give to new home educators. Recently one of the EWOs contact me to ask something and I suggested it might be in the pack, which reminded her that it's in a box in a cupboard in the room they used to occupy . Nobody I know has ever been given a copy.

We also used to have regular forum meetings for home educators and LA officers in which we discussed relevant issues. Some of us have had meetings with very senior officers (eg Director of Children's Services) about the law regarding HE, wording on letters and appropriate contact with families, and have been given assurances that changes would be made but they weren't. The problem seems to be that this LA wants home educators to function in a mainstream way and they cannot get their heads around the fact that we don't. One officer I've known since the beginning still doesn't grasp that our network covers four LAs and isn't confined to families within our own - it just doesn't make sense to her.

So really it's not that they don't know or haven't been told how HE works, it's more that they don't want to know - they just seem to want us back in schools so that they know what we're doing and they can control us. Having seen what the education system did to my son and others, I want no part of that.

Your LEA sound dreadful

You have obviously worked hard to inform help and educate them - their attitude stinks frankly.
My LEA meanwhile is mostly not interested.

Increasing numbers of home educating parents have spent lots of time 'educating' LAs about the law on home education. sometimes we actually succeed......but all it takes is one change of staff and back to square one we go.....

BTW If you move ThreadWatcher you are under no obligation to tell the LA where you are, so you'd become unknown, and with luck would stay that way.

Update!
I sent my "thanks but no thanks" letter, received no response.
The visit they proposed was this morning and no visitor arrived.

Hurrah
Persumably the detailed letter I sent 18 months ago did trick.
Im quite shocked at how easy it is to disappear under the radar in my county though.
Im wondering if thats it no more contact at all?
I was prepared for a 'fight' so am slightly deflated that they didnt even bother to reply to my letter!!!

Two weeks later and still no communication from the LEA :)

So presumably thats it I am now (for now!) officially not on their radar.

Not necessarily. Maybe and maybe not.

A lot of Council staff took time off over the school holidays because of the Jubilee thingy.

The only way to be sure is to write and ask them. Actually even then, it might change with a new member of staff or a different policy.