Petition Against Home Ed Register

[Isawthesigns]

Now It Is Evident The Goverment Is Committed To A Register Of Children Not In School Which Will Be Followed By Assessments And Monitoring

Please Sign And Share The Petition Help Us Defend Our Right To HE Without State Interference

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/594065?fbclid=IwAR0o70ZNS9miOu6k8l769Kcu9XJnFbkAYggnqkbHzaknueGt39nnQrbhZTo

The systems aren't very well joined up, so it would be hard to flag up that the child hasn't been seen by a doctor for years (maybe it's just in robust health) AND hasn't seen a dentist (maybe they went private - I don't think that's on a central register) AND doesn't go to school. agreed, SO joining up those systems WOULD help and given it’s data we already has is probably much cheaper than creating yet another list from scratch.

@Carboncheque

I believe it’s the responsibility of the state to ensure that children are educated. I’d also like it to take responsibility for the fact that a lot of parents who home Ed aren’t choosing to do so - they’ve been failed by schools who can’t or won’t provide a suitable education or a suitable environment for their DC.

So not the case at all in many many cases. In a previous life when I dealt with a lot of safeguarding there were just too many cases we had to refer that were home schooled. Emotional abuse, understimulation, neglect, and nowhere near enough monitoring of these kids via other agencies. The families were toxic and experts undisguised compliance. I fully support a register and increased monitoring of home schooled kids. The majority of the kids wanted to go to school BTW, but were prevented from doing so by their parents. Some ended up permanently estranged from their parents as a result.

I know someone who is currently homeschooling as they didn’t get the school they wanted. She works FT from home and he is basically playing on his Xbox and has been for 2 years.
He does have a place next year but he’s going to be so far behind it’s ridiculous. He is naturally clever but his social skills now are non existent. DD was friends with him but can’t cope with him now at all.
I can’t believe it’s been allowed to continue legally.

@SirChenjins And if that’s the case there is always the option to move them to better school no not really. There aren’t “better schools” available to all. One of my children was HE for many years. HE groups in my area are predominantly full of ND children and their families.

As a former teacher there is no way I'd sign this petition.

Deaths and serious cruelty towards children where home education enabled or was specifically used to conceal child abuse

Khyra Ishaq www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-10779321.amp

Dylan Seabridge www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/dylan-seabridge-scurvy-crymych-eglwyswrw-18980972.amp

Child AB www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/29/child-cruelty-case-triggers-call-for-home-schooling-review?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Family H library.nspcc.org.uk/HeritageScripts/Hapi.dll/search2?CookieCheck=44510.7522594329&searchTerm0=C8984

That was just the first few results from Google.... There are many more.

And to think there are posters on here saying that home educated children shouldn't be checked up on in case they're asked whether they'd sooner be at school. It beggars belief.

Would an additional benefit of this register be getting services so desperately needed by these families?

Several have mentioned they home Ed because their child has SEN that isn't catered for by mainstream education / isn't catered for by any specialist local provision.

Surely if this register also collects why a child is home Ed then it gives local councils the demand to get funding for extra help?

Register would be a fab idea!

"Actually every child who has ever been found abused under the guise of home ed was already known to social services so a register is redundant. "

And what about the countless children who are currently being abused and haven't yet been detected, away from the eyes of the authorities under the guise of Home Ed? Perhaps a register would help these children. Don't be so selfish and bleat on about some imagined slight on your human rights when such a register could help vulnerable abused children.

Sorry I support a register too

All children are already registered at birth in the uk.

What about children who were not born in the UK?

They also have Drs and dentists and midwives and health visitors and benefits

Do they? How many times do you see people on MN saying they did not/will not engage with their HV?

.

I also think that a registerer and check ups are a good idea.

And yes, it will help with spotting neglect/ abuse cases sooner. But far more important is the assessment and monitoring of HE children. As a lot clearly luck knowledge and skills that they need to function fully in our society.

It’s just encroaching on basic human rights. No problem if that isn’t an issue for you. It definitely is for me because I know it won’t stop there.

Where do you see it going, then, @Isawthesigns? What is it you really fear? Whatever it is, I’d wait for that and fight it rather than a register, which seems like a sensible requirement for a child’s safeguarding and education.

Surely if this register also collects why a child is home Ed then it gives local councils the demand to get funding for extra help?
I’d laugh at this but it’s tragic. Local councils know what they are doing. They know they don’t have provision and how many are left behind. They know and they are part of it.

I’ve talked to lots of HEers about the register. There are a few who are vocal in their opposition but mostly the discussion is about how it could actually help. Very few are paranoid about interference and many would do a lot to safeguard children within the community as would those with children in school. HEers are just parents doing the best they can.

Education welfare officer here. Local authorities all keep their own "registers" and have done for years. Sorry to burst your bubble.

@TankFlyBoss

Does that include children who have never been to school, or is it just children who have been withdrawn from school?

Most of the HEers I know get visited every year and signposted to 16+ Courses etc. I guess if you never went to school you might not be on their list but if you de register then obviously they know you’re there. Our HE LA person is perfectly nice and particularly helpful for me as ds has SEN and she has SS experience.

Everyone we can find out about. And we are pretty good at it

Of course there are always gaps, you don't know what you don't know. Which is why it should be compulsory to register your child as home educated (it's currently not)

[quote 5zeds]**@SirChenjins* And if that’s the case there is always the option to move them to better school* no not really. There aren’t “better schools” available to all. One of my children was HE for many years. HE groups in my area are predominantly full of ND children and their families.[/quote]
I addressed that in a later post which you obviously missed.

Tillysfad I wanted to thank you for your long post (I think your first one in this thread).

It provided information and an argument that adds to the debate. Very reasonably written, which is always appreciated.

I still think the register a good idea but feel I have a better understanding of some of the issues involved.

There definitely should be a register. For safeguarding and because every child has the right to an education.

library.nspcc.org.uk/HeritageScripts/Hapi.dll/search2?CookieCheck=44510.7956253588&searchTerm0=C8984

These children were abused and not known to services. They were also home educated

Pro register/monitoring and if it was me, those names on the petition would be the first visits I made!