On Wednesday 5 September, the Education Committee will question and hear from home educators, and their representative groups, as to the current arrangements and relationships with local authorities, the support available for home educators, and the improvements to the system since the last Select Committee inquiry.
I am one of the people appearing on the 9:30am panel (the rest of the participants are listed on the committee web page). Please note that the participants have made written submissions but we cannot publish them until the Select Committee does.
However, I am very happy to hear from people with experiences that they would like to inform the thinking of the committee. Please email the address below. I am also happy to engage in discussion here about the issues.
Please note that this session is very narrowly focused on support that LAs can and should be providing (following the government making it clear from January 2010 that DSG money can be drawn down for EHE young people). The committee want to know if LAs are doing what they were told they could do or if they are refusing or imposing unnecessary conditions.
From the call for evidence:
Written submissions of evidence are invited on the following specific issues:
? the duties of local authorities with regard to home education;
? what support (financial and otherwise) is currently available
for home educators, including from local authorities and other bodies;
? the quality and accessibility of that support;
? whether current arrangements for financial support are adequate;
? the support available for home-educated students? transition
to further education and higher education;
? what improvements have been made to support for home educators
since the December 2009 recommendations of the Children, Schools
and Families Committee;
? what guidance is available for local authorities concerning their
duties in regard to home education, and the quality of that guidance;
? whether the Government needs to alter existing policy or arrangements
concerning the support available for home educators.
The Committee's inquiry will not be examining wider issues of home education, such as safeguarding and curriculum issues, or the impact of home education.
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Shena Deuchars
[email protected]
EO Trustee and home educator for 20 years