'Children Missing Education Case Officer' has sent me a letter

[QueenOfFlamingEverything]

Wanting to know what school DD attends. Its a five sentence letter that uses the word 'school' nine times! There's a form to fill in giving details of what school she goes to, but no space for details of any other education and no mention of home ed in the letter.

Is a 'Children Missing Education Case Officer' a posh name for truant officer then? Should I phone her to explain, or ignore her as DD doesn't go to school and her form doesn't ask about HE?

I would probably reply saying something like

"Thank you for your letter of [date]. As [DD] does not attend a school (which under s7 of the Education Act 1996 she is not required to do if educated otherwise) I am unable to complete your form about school enrollment. Love and hugs, QOFE"

If they are writing to you now they are not going to leave you alone until they get their boxes ticked, and that way you csn say that you responded to their letter.

Thanks.

On further investigation on their website it seems that DD has been placed on their 'children missing from education register' and will be 'monitored and tracked' until they know she is recieving an education, either at school or otherwise. SS may be involved.

AFAIK there is no legal requirement to register with the local authority but it seems they want me to essentially do just that, or they are going to treat me as though I am not educating her at all.

I think I will email them.

Maybe say that to them, QOFE. It's not a legal requirement (yet) to register, but thank you for your concern - my DD is receiving an education.

I tried to phone the woman earlier but got an answerphone message telling me she only works on mondays and to call another time

you should address the letter to

The Missing Children Missing Education Case Officer

This is enough to make me vote conservative!

LOL at Missing CMECO, I even shared that one with DP.

Well, eventually she rang me and I explained that DD was home ed, and she said that was fine and she would close the 'missing from education' case.

Then this morning I had someone from Educational Welfare on the phone demanding to know exactly how long I had been HE and was I aware that they should have been informed

So what did you say ("Well, I appear to be significantly more aware than you..." springs to mind)?

I pointed out that the law didn't require me to register my intent to HE with the local authority.

And she said 'yes but the law requires us to keep tracks on where children are and to offer you support and a booklet'.

I told her DD had been HE since the start of this school year and that we were fine for support and booklets, and she got a bit sniffy and said she was Only Trying To Help.

We need a special "tearing hair out" smiley for the HE thread... and it sounds like this is only going to get worse I have just found THIS which sets out pretty much how my borough council views and deals with Home Educators. Basically, they have admitted that if a parent refuses an LA visit, but sends in a plan, they will check with the family's GP to see if he has seen the child/ren recently. If not, they call Social Services. . OMG. And this is before the proposed changes have taken place.

But my DD has never been to local GP, actually never. There's never anything wrong with her - am I supposed to take her evey 6 months to prove I don't beat her up ?

Holy fuck.

It gets better... this is on my borough's education website, stating what happens if parents don't inform the LA of their wish to HE (even if the child has never been to school):

"What if I don't send a note but just keep my child out of school?

Under the Education Act 1996, LBWF must be satisfied that parents are fulfilling their duty to provide a suitable education. If a parent does not provide any information about the home education programme then this will count as a refusal to present reasonable evidence. would then need to consider whether steps should be taken to get the child into a school / back into school. This could involve legal steps and the need to serve a school supervision order."

OH boy.

OMG they even want to see evidence of the parents' 'qualifications or experience'

This sort of shite deserves its own thread.

Righty-o - I think I'm going to need all the help I can get!