Oh, there is no duty to monitor or to visit, but case law has stated that if an LA asks for information, we would be sensible to supply it.
The LAs would ALWAYS prefer to have a home visit-that is why the EWO wants to do this one. The vast majority of LAs misrepresent the law to infer that home visits are compulsory.
But just because the LA/EWO wants to do it, doesn't mean the OP has to have one.
I didn't suggest she should 'just be out' I said "Ring up first thing, tell them you can't make the home visit, but will be in touch in writing instead."
Thinking home educating families will be Ofstedded/monitored in some way, is a common misconception.
To understand you need to know that a child's education is always the parent's responsibility-
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996
provides that:
?The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient
full-time education suitable ?
(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and
(b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.?
Most parents delegate this responsibility to the state.
It is the otherwise bit that allows us to home educate.
If you stop and think about it, schools are inspected/monitored;
a] so that parents can be told if the school are providing a suitable and efficient education for their children
and
b] to prove they are offering 'Value for Money' for the tax payer, who is providing the funds.
With home based education,
a] the education isn't being provided by anyone else, so we don't need Ofsted to go in and find out about it for us.
and
b] we are not using any of tax payers money-so we don't need to account for it, or to be measured to see if we are giving value for money.