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| Are high profile child abuse cases driving an agenda to stiffen monitoring of home schooling? | Are high profile child abuse cases driving an agenda to stiffen monitoring of home schooling? |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| For home-edders, the freedom to depart from a rigid curriculum and examination-based education offers a world of exploration and excitement for children. They have the chance to make their case this Wednesday, 5 September, when the Commons' select committee on children, schools and families gives them and their representative groups a hearing. | For home-edders, the freedom to depart from a rigid curriculum and examination-based education offers a world of exploration and excitement for children. They have the chance to make their case this Wednesday, 5 September, when the Commons' select committee on children, schools and families gives them and their representative groups a hearing. |
| It will be the first time MPs have scrutinised home-ed arrangements and relationships with local councils since 2010, and the proceedings can be watched live on Parliamentary TV from 9.30am. | It will be the first time MPs have scrutinised home-ed arrangements and relationships with local councils since 2010, and the proceedings can be watched live on Parliamentary TV from 9.30am. |
| The hearing two years ago followed a serious case review into the death of Khyra Ishaq, when the then education secretary Ed Balls commissioned Graham Badman, former director of children's services in Kent to review elective home education, investigating current practice of local authorities in relation to home educators, and considering whether and how far home education could be used as a cover for child abuse. | The hearing two years ago followed a serious case review into the death of Khyra Ishaq, when the then education secretary Ed Balls commissioned Graham Badman, former director of children's services in Kent to review elective home education, investigating current practice of local authorities in relation to home educators, and considering whether and how far home education could be used as a cover for child abuse. |
| Badman - who had chaired the Baby P Inquiry – argued that home educating families were twice as likely to be 'known to social services' than their schooled counterparts and argued that local authorities be given additional powers to monitor home educated children. Fiona Nicholson, a home education consultant based in Sheffield who gave evidence to the committee in 2010, told the Guardian: | Badman - who had chaired the Baby P Inquiry – argued that home educating families were twice as likely to be 'known to social services' than their schooled counterparts and argued that local authorities be given additional powers to monitor home educated children. Fiona Nicholson, a home education consultant based in Sheffield who gave evidence to the committee in 2010, told the Guardian: |
| The state is coming into family life and trying to regulate it. It is an extraordinary invasion of the family. | The state is coming into family life and trying to regulate it. It is an extraordinary invasion of the family. |
The home education community was generally alarmed and upset, and began a fightback that made history when 70 MP's presented 120 constituency petitions opposing changes qualifying the right to home educate. | The home education community was generally alarmed and upset, and began a fightback that made history when 70 MP's presented 120 constituency petitions opposing changes qualifying the right to home educate. |
| Another northern home-edder, Denise McCallum, told the select committee: | Another northern home-edder, Denise McCallum, told the select committee: |
| The Badman proposals would destroy the things we have achieved in North Yorkshire. A lot of home educators in North Yorkshire have withdrawn from engagement with the council in protest. | The Badman proposals would destroy the things we have achieved in North Yorkshire. A lot of home educators in North Yorkshire have withdrawn from engagement with the council in protest. |
The children, schools and families committee concluded that it was: | The children, schools and families committee concluded that it was: |
| unsafe for the Badman review to have reached such a strong conclusion about the relative risks of a child being home educated or school educated. The proposals in the children, schools and families bill run into difficulty in their conflation of education and safeguarding. | unsafe for the Badman review to have reached such a strong conclusion about the relative risks of a child being home educated or school educated. The proposals in the children, schools and families bill run into difficulty in their conflation of education and safeguarding. |
| Now the Government is at mid-term, and suddenly attention has turned again to home education. For a myriad of reasons – dissatisfaction , religious observance, and philosophical belief– more and more families are rejecting mainstream provision. Home-edders fall broadly into three camps: for some it is an alternative to mainstream, others feel forced into it by a failure of mainstream to meet their children's needs, and the third group value it as a way of educating in accordance with faith. Whichever the reason, this broad church feels strongly about the right to 'educate otherwise'. | Now the Government is at mid-term, and suddenly attention has turned again to home education. For a myriad of reasons – dissatisfaction , religious observance, and philosophical belief– more and more families are rejecting mainstream provision. Home-edders fall broadly into three camps: for some it is an alternative to mainstream, others feel forced into it by a failure of mainstream to meet their children's needs, and the third group value it as a way of educating in accordance with faith. Whichever the reason, this broad church feels strongly about the right to 'educate otherwise'. |
| The Ishaq siblings, three with special educational needs, were assumed to be home educated after they disappeared from mainstream school. Home education carried the can for what were actually multiple agency failings. Birmingham city council officials visited to assess the family; children's social care did not follow up a referral from Khyra's school; police concluded that the children were safe during a welfare visit. | The Ishaq siblings, three with special educational needs, were assumed to be home educated after they disappeared from mainstream school. Home education carried the can for what were actually multiple agency failings. Birmingham city council officials visited to assess the family; children's social care did not follow up a referral from Khyra's school; police concluded that the children were safe during a welfare visit. |
| As with Baby P and Victoria Climbie, various visits and opportunities to instigate statutory powers were missed. Would increased powers over home education have saved this little girl's life, when agency failings were identified as the crucial factor contributing to her death? | As with Baby P and Victoria Climbie, various visits and opportunities to instigate statutory powers were missed. Would increased powers over home education have saved this little girl's life, when agency failings were identified as the crucial factor contributing to her death? |
| To what extent should the state be empowered to monitor the home educated child? | To what extent should the state be empowered to monitor the home educated child? |
| In 2010, Labour was keen to emphasise that there was a need to build positive relationships between local authorities and home-educating families. Now, two years later, the committee is taking evidence from home educators who are concerned that there is evidence of Badman by the back door. | In 2010, Labour was keen to emphasise that there was a need to build positive relationships between local authorities and home-educating families. Now, two years later, the committee is taking evidence from home educators who are concerned that there is evidence of Badman by the back door. |
| Education Leeds advised that powers should be introduced to compel parents to provide written information at least annually on the educational provision they are making for their children and ensure that the child is present at an annual meeting with the LA. Current policy attempts to ensure these conditions are met. | Education Leeds advised that powers should be introduced to compel parents to provide written information at least annually on the educational provision they are making for their children and ensure that the child is present at an annual meeting with the LA. Current policy attempts to ensure these conditions are met. |
| In 2009, North Yorkshire relations with home educators were cited as evidence of good practice in relations which the council had built over a number of years with home-edders in the county. North Yorkshire had adopted a policy of non-intrusive, non-judgmental intervention which had paid off with greater numbers engaging with advisers. The authority published a termly newsletter, met regularly with home educators and arranged opportunities for home educating children to sit exams externally. | In 2009, North Yorkshire relations with home educators were cited as evidence of good practice in relations which the council had built over a number of years with home-edders in the county. North Yorkshire had adopted a policy of non-intrusive, non-judgmental intervention which had paid off with greater numbers engaging with advisers. The authority published a termly newsletter, met regularly with home educators and arranged opportunities for home educating children to sit exams externally. |
| Twelve months ago, North Yorkshire councillors called for another review of home education aimed specifically at increasing powers to monitor and evaluate home educating families due to difficulties in engaging families. North Yorkshire's latest policy requires home education advisers to 'ensure the safety, welfare and education of the home educated child' - a considerable expansion of the established interpretation of existing legislation. | Twelve months ago, North Yorkshire councillors called for another review of home education aimed specifically at increasing powers to monitor and evaluate home educating families due to difficulties in engaging families. North Yorkshire's latest policy requires home education advisers to 'ensure the safety, welfare and education of the home educated child' - a considerable expansion of the established interpretation of existing legislation. |
| The North Yorkshire elective home education (EHE) team now aims to maintain contact with all families on an annual basis and, if families are in agreement,makes a visit to establish that a suitable education is being provided. Where there is lawful refusal to engage with the LA, the EHE team aims to resolve the situation and to re-engage the family wherever possible with maintained education - a move hardly likely to build positive relations. | The North Yorkshire elective home education (EHE) team now aims to maintain contact with all families on an annual basis and, if families are in agreement,makes a visit to establish that a suitable education is being provided. Where there is lawful refusal to engage with the LA, the EHE team aims to resolve the situation and to re-engage the family wherever possible with maintained education - a move hardly likely to build positive relations. |
| North Yorkshire regards hard-to-engage families as 'an ongoing challenge' in a recent summary report to the council's young people's scrutiny committee. There is currently no requirement for families to register home education or to respond to enquiries about suitability of education provided. Following de-registration,North Yorkshire educational social workers contact the school to establish any child protection concerns there may have been.' EHE casework meetings 'discuss any tricky cases where engagement with families is proving to be difficult' | North Yorkshire regards hard-to-engage families as 'an ongoing challenge' in a recent summary report to the council's young people's scrutiny committee. There is currently no requirement for families to register home education or to respond to enquiries about suitability of education provided. Following de-registration,North Yorkshire educational social workers contact the school to establish any child protection concerns there may have been.' EHE casework meetings 'discuss any tricky cases where engagement with families is proving to be difficult' |
| Nicholson, who will give evidence on 5 September, said 'local authorities don't really know what they are supposed to be doing with home education. There is a vacuum which means councillors policies and procedures on home education can easily be dominated by Safeguarding Boards or by elected members' who may be suspicious of home education' | Nicholson, who will give evidence on 5 September, said 'local authorities don't really know what they are supposed to be doing with home education. There is a vacuum which means councillors policies and procedures on home education can easily be dominated by Safeguarding Boards or by elected members' who may be suspicious of home education' |
| John Hemming MP for Birmingham Yardley says: | John Hemming MP for Birmingham Yardley says: |
| One of the problems with child protection assessments is that parents are asked to prove their 'innocence'. Because the system is not happy with home educators they often find themselves on the wrong side of a child protection investigation. The case of Khyra Ishaq was a very basic failure that did not require a more aggressive approach from the system, but instead for people to do what they were already supposed to do. Sadly the government have not recognised this and are driving for a more aggressive system. | One of the problems with child protection assessments is that parents are asked to prove their 'innocence'. Because the system is not happy with home educators they often find themselves on the wrong side of a child protection investigation. The case of Khyra Ishaq was a very basic failure that did not require a more aggressive approach from the system, but instead for people to do what they were already supposed to do. Sadly the government have not recognised this and are driving for a more aggressive system. |
| The question that many home educators are asking is: who, or what is driving that campaign. | The question that many home educators are asking is: who, or what is driving that campaign. |
| Anne Czernik is a freelance photojournalist specialising in activism in the north of England. | Anne Czernik is a freelance photojournalist specialising in activism in the north of England. |
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