WHY has the Department of Children Schools and Families undertaken yet another costly consultation/review on home education, now the third since 2005 (the fourth major investigation), all whilst there is no statistical evidence to support the claims made?

Many home educated families have experienced a lack of welfare or educational issues within state schools and take offence that families who devote considerable time, effort and money to their children’s wellbeing are claimed to be uniquely relevant in issues of child educational and welfare concern, simply for that being their preference for education and legal right.

Extensive guidelines were made as the result of the last consultation in November 2007 and local authorities have had major new statutory guidelines in addition.

The procedures of this consultation are not standard and home educators were not adequately told about the consultation or its process.

Local authorities have a large, two-stage private questionnaire in addition, and organisations such as the NSPCC, Voice and ASCL encourage support when HE’s views themselves cannot equally be queried, heard or counted.

Existing children’s services, already overstretched need focus, officials need to have better understanding of current law and give better support to really help all children in our community.

Home educator, Urmston

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