A page for comments about the review report and related issues.

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More Problematic Than Just Home Visits

There is more in this report that's problematic than just home visits and lone interrogation of children. Mr Badman did not understand any form of education other than that provided in schools. So rather than trying to

understand it he simply ignored all of it. To him it simply did not exist.

Requiring 12 monthly plans with pre planned outcomes shows this fundamental lack of understanding. It kills autonomous home education stone dead. It stunts any form of education that may rely on spontaneity and following the leanings and interests of the child as they happen.

Not only that, but it is not in the interests of children with special educational needs or disabilities. Parents will tell you that the health and educational needs of these children can change very rapidly. Not constantly adapting to the needs of the child is not in the interests of that child, in fact for some children it will be an abuse.

I have been an autonomously home educating parent for over 14 years. I have one child in University at the moment. Not something that would have been likely to happen given that she is Dyslexic with Dyscalculia, auditory processing and short term memory problems and would have attended the local secondary which was a failing school and is now closed.

The recommendations in this review remove due process. No-one gets their day in court. If an LA decides that they do not understand your form of education or simply have a personal dislike of you, or the education you

provide, you will be deemed to be failing.

LA personnel do not understand education outside of school. In fact there are less and less that understand education before the national curriculum, before they were told what to teach.

The review seeks to elevate LA personnel to godlike status, with absolute power over home educators and their children and no balances or checks whatsoever on that power.

E.

Threat to All Families

The freedoms threatened by these proposals are freedoms necessary to every family and not just home educators. To put it simply, the party currently in power do not trust parents to raise their children and wish to control all aspects of our lives to ensure they are in line with a Marxist agenda. This is all being justified by the Minister as putting us in line with the rest of Europe. The UK is currently one of the favoured destinations of those escaping persecution in European countries because they wish to be responsible for the education and upbringing of their own children instead of delegating responsibility to the state.

The recommendations of the review are for legal and regulatory change to ensure compulsory annual registration of home educators, compulsory home visits, children required to exhibit their attainments and progress to strangers annually and by force, a redefining of suitable education highlighting the known desire of local education authorities and the party currently in power to dictate the form and content of education provided, and forced interview with children separated from parents to make sure they are safe and well in the care of their parents.

Anyone who thinks that undermining the homes and families of children in this way will not destabilise children and deprive them of a sense of security is wrong.

Anyone who thinks that obliging families to undergo forced access to their home and forcing children to allow stranger access to their person will not make children confused and vulnerable to illicit approaches by other adults is wrong. It is child abuse.

The officials who agree to carry out such state sponsored grooming may do so in a gentle voice and with a big smile on their faces, but that will not change the nature of what they are doing. It is child abuse.

The purpose of forced registration, home visit inspections and compulsory interview of children separated by law from parents is control. For what?

Barbara.