Call To Register Home-Schooled Children

[naomi24]

//Children taught at home should be recorded on a compulsory register, England's children's commissioner has said.

The number of children home-schooled is "rocketing" and "no-one knows how they are doing academically, or even if they're safe" Anne Longfield said.

Her report estimates almost 60,000 pupils were taught at home at any one time in 2018.
She also had concerns about provision for special educational needs (SEN).//

I think this has to be done. It seems ridiculous that children in school are monitored so closely – to the extent that parents are fined for taking them on holiday during term time – and yet so many children are off the radar permanently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47112319

[woofgang]

Grumpy, I am not sure that is true everywhere. I know a couple of parents of children with special needs and it has been a real fight with the school and the education authority to get the child statemented (assessment resulting in a statement of Special Educational Need) Apparently the school have to supply more service than the statement income covers and the education authority are reluctant to pay anyway.

[ummmm]

What's child welfare got to do with it? Just a guess but wouldn't sending your kids to school be easier so I doubt parents who choose to home school don't have the children's best interests at heart.

[grumpy01]

I agree Woofgang,I am sure it's not true everywhere.

[237SJ]

I`d like to see them try and register the Traveller kids that are 'home schooled.'

[Old_Geezer]

What's child welfare got to do with it ?!?!?! So a child not getting proper education (and possibly a clue as to other neglect) isn't to do with the child's welfare and so is fine & dandy ?

[ummmm]

A child's welfare could be at risk school or no school.

[pastafreak]

I agree, it should be monitored...surprising that it's not. Though I do believe the majority who home-school do it well prepared and in their children's best interest.
I worked with a lovely lady who homeschooled both her children...one works in law, the other obtained a PhD. Both seemed well adjusted.
Oh...and she was a devout Christian...but one who never 'preached'.
Are there any statistics or studies regarding how many are socially maladjusted, or cannot interact with their peers?

[-Talbot-]

I heard most homeschooled kids become unemployed actors.



Smiley face x

[Old_Geezer]

At school the authorities are involved. (Or should be, which is a separate issue.) The issue here is that in the home, they aren't.

[naomi24]

//A child's welfare could be at risk school or no school. //

Anything amiss is more likely to be picked up if a child is at school though.

[ladybirder]

Yes home-schooled children should be registered. I don't see any reason not to do so.

[zebo]

I was surprised to learn recently that there was not check on home-schooling, it means that anyone can remove their child to home-school without any ability, not necessarily formal qualifications. How do they differentiate between being home-schooled and being allowed to permanently truant?

[fiction-factory]

>I heard most homeschooled kids become unemployed actors.
Smiley face x

Good one Talbot. I'm surprised no-one else picked up on the case of the home schooled ABer. She is an example though, along with pasta's examples of how it can work well- not all are travellers, hippies, troublesome kids

[fiction-factory]

That thread submitted itself while I was still typing but never mind

[spathiphyllum]

Part of me thinks yeah check the children to make sure they're alright and alls going well the other part of me thinks whooo cares if parents don't want their kids in a system why make a system for them to comply to.

[youngmafbog]

They should be monitored, it is crazy they are not.

[bednobs]

In all honesty you genreally only mix with families of the same social class in school too. Catchment areas mean if you live in an affluent area most of the kids in the school are in the same social class.