Dudley

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Meeting the LA Education Department

Guidance on improving LEAs

EHE Consultation

In response to a FOI request, we have received the following information from Dudley:

CONSULTATION ON ELECTIVE HOME EDUCATION GUIDELINES – DUDLEY CHILDREN’S SERVICES RESPONSE

1.                  There is a need to address the tension that exists between local authority responsibility and parental rights.  Legal concerns focus upon:

i)                   Parents are not required to register their intent to home educate

ii)                 There is no clear workable definition of what constitutes an ‘efficient and suitable’ full-time education

iii)               There is no right of access to the home re: educational provision/working conditions

iv)                There is no right of access to the child although LAs are responsible for safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare

2.                  Points 1(ii), (iii) and (iv) also impact on the monitoring and assessment of EHE provision.  It is of concern that the LA has so statutory duty in relation to monitoring the quality of home education on a routine basis.  LAs can only intervene ‘if it appears’ that the child is not receiving a suitable education.  How is this judgement to be made objectively if the parent can choose to send in a written report?  Paragraph 3.13 of the consultation is helpful in describing the characteristics LAs may reasonably expect the provision to include, but there is still a lack of clarity on the level of information that can be requested from parents and the need for regular assessments to determine EHE children’s educational standards and progress.

3.                  It is to be regretted that paragraph 3.10 of the Draft Consultation, which deals with ‘withdrawing the child’, has been omitted from the final consultation document.

What are the guidelines now in cases where there is a history of condoned absence, unmanaged truancy or other ongoing low level concerns that may lead to child protection procedures?

4.                From the parents’ perspective there needs to be greater flexibility in the school system.  Some parents are electing for home education as a result of issues with our schools such as a lack of choice, bullying, special educational needs or values within our schools being considered incongruous with parental values, e.g. religious, cultural or behavioural.

The essence of the guidelines is to ‘assist LAs and home educators to build effective relationships’.  The central aim together with recommendations for support and resources for home educated children are to be applauded.  However, at present parents have to assume responsibility for their children’s education and LAs do not receive funding to support home education families.  With increasing numbers, there will inevitably be resource and funding issues for LAs in order for them to track, monitor and provide guidance and support for EHE children.  It is also to be regretted that in the 2008 alternative provision census the category ‘not in school’ specifically excludes ‘those educated at home by parental choice.  If ‘every child matters’ is to be a reality and not mere rhetoric, there needs to be appropriate DfES funding for EHE provision 

CL/TB/Home Education/Response to Consultation/16/05/2007.

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