What do you do when approached by LEA officer in the street?

[stilllearnin]

Hello. I am just wondering how we should have dealt with this situation. I am sure it can easily be sorted but I would like us to be better prepared next time!

My son and partner were out in another part of the country. Somebody approached my dp while my ds was performing at a winter market. She said she was from the council and asked what school he went to. My dp said he is home educated. She showed an ID card and took my ds name. She asked twice more what school he went to and my dp could not seem to make himself understood. She telephoned someone else at her office and asked again for ds name. This time my dp started to feel uncomfortable and did not want to give his name again, which she relayed to her office. I don't think he explained we are under another LEA (although she did not ask and so I wonder how she could have traced my ds).

As I say, I think it can be sorted out, if needs be and I am not worried but I think ds felt he had done something wrong. Should dp have said anything else/ different? I move in vaguely public sector circles and perhaps would have made sure I was understood but short of saying he is home ed and we are under this council, I'm not sure what else I would have done. Incidentally he came out of an independent school and so I don't think we are registered as home ed with our home authority!

This is precisely the sort of situation for which it is worth having a nice laminated "we are home educators. Leave us alone" badge, from Education otherwise or one of the other national organisations :-)

oooh, I do like a good badge!! It obviously made my dp feel a bit weird as he phoned me about it - I think it was because she could not understand what he was trying to tell her! But you'd think if you were an ewo or similar you'd be used to communicating with people.

So, I'm presuming there is no standard kind of answer or magic formula that we didn't mention - it was just one of the weird things that happen!

I just said "We are home educating" and the policeman allowed to go on our way.
You don't have any obligation to give your details-except to the Police if they have reason to believe an offense has occurred.
So I would have asked that if the EWO would accept my answer.

If you feel nervous then by all means get a card.

My children chose to learn the details of the relevant bits of the education act

"I am being home educated as per Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act, I am out and about quite legitimately, please let me go on my way"

We have had two occasions when police asked "Shouldn't they be in school?" On both occassions a simple reply of "We home educate", was accepted without further comment.

The police can investigate further if they have a suspicion that you are lying such as if the children are in uniform. But they need a reason to be suspicious and not accept your answer.

LEA officers dont have 'stop and search powers’. They are not enforcement so neither can arrest anyone. They would need a Court Order. I think is good to get a card.

I recommend that first, find out what an LEA officer 'must not do when they are on the street and they approach parents'. And if this happens again, confront them saying : first they got no right to do this and next threaten you will complain to their boss and to your MP. If I were you I would

NEVER answer any questions from bods on the street, you don't know who they are and you never know where they have been.

You or your children are under no obligation to EVER answer questions this way and you should stick to your guns. If they persist warn them you will contact the police if they continue in their harassment.

If you asked THEIR name, (home) address, DOB, telephone no. they would soon tell you its none of your business. Well Yours is none of theirs.

With the police (if they were to get involved (big IF)) its not wise to get in their face since too many are ignorant of the law, and have nothing better to do than cause trouble. Still insist on not giving a full name. Unless they suspect you of a crime they cannot ask your full name and NO ONE ON THE STREET IS ALLOWED TO TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN if you have told them not to. If they push it ask for their details first.... Full name, DOB, HOME address... The questions usually stop at DOB!

She said LEA, she is probably just a truancy ticket warden out hunting around amusement parks for strays, so as to make a few quid for the council. I would just look at her as though I'd stepped in sh1t and walk off without a word.

I was shopping in brent cross today, they had police officers accompanying 'camden council truancy officers' (wearing blue tabards saying this) around. There were lots of kids there, I assumed that they were from private schools which had broken up until I saw this.

Try getting a policy enforcement officer (cop) to attend if you get mugged or raped, you will be lucky to get a crime reference number out of them.

Where there is money there is MUCK. The truancy ticket wardens are like dog eggs to flies. Same with all statute money spinners, they always seem to have a team of paramilitary police, equipped with the latest weapons standing right besides them and always hungry for a little 'action'.

Its lucky none of those truant terrorists got a ride on the tazer.

Home education

Gaba, you have the law somewhat confused. A police officer can ask you to identify yourself. You don't have to answer, but if the police officer suspects an offence has been committed you can be arrested. It seems op is asking a simple question about the right way to avoid confrontation and give enough information to avoid confusion. So why suggest such a hostile approach? Surely the most important thing is the welfare of the child?

Just smile & explain politely you are home educated, then go about your business. If you are polite then they have no reason to detain you, get stroppy and you could find yourself up on charges. It's not worth it, especially in areas like London where youths still die in police custody with depressing frequency.

Education otherwise do a little wallet card to carry - I intend to give my DS to carry in the same holder as his autism alert card wallet in case he gets stopped when out and about as a teen on his own. (At the moment he goes nowhere unaccompanied, so I'm around to answer questions).

Thanks for all your replies - all were very useful. We live in a large town and not a city or london borough so we have not come across ticket warden types - I think this is why the officer could not understand that he isn't in school (sticking to her script)! I am not bothered about people asking questions as I'd rather they crossed us off their list and dealt with vulnerable kids - but you are right, why would you give your child's name and details to effectively a stranger in the street and I was wondering what to say to avoid confusion. Truth is that there was no way of avoiding confusion with this lady and my partner did resort to walking off!!! Absolutely nothing has come from it either!

Yes, best never to give details, explain once, just walk away.