Stockport
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Meeting the LA Education Department
Guidance on improving LEAs
EHE consultation response
(closed July 31st 2007)
From Stockport LA
Personal Details
Name: Anonymous
Email:
Address:
Organisation:
Response on Behalf of an organisation: Yes
Keep response confidential: Yes
Allowed to contact in the future: No
Request a response acknowledgement: No
Request to be informed when
the consultation results are published: Yes
Respondent Information Questions
Which of the following best describes you:
Local authority
Consultation Questions
1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DfES to issue guidelines to local authorities?
Yes
Answer/Comments
Whilst Local Authorities have always had very limited authority to regulate and monitor the education provision for children educated at home, it is helpful that LA's are issued guidance that supports existing policy and practice.
2 Do you agree that the description of the law (paragraphs 2.1-2.3) relating to elective home education is accurate and clear?
Yes
Answer/Comments
None
3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities’ responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.11) is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
Accurate –but not necessarily helpful –
2.5- How do LA’s monitor progress for children educated at home, given the reliance on parental cooperation and the absence of formal monitoring arrangements? – at odds with the ECM agenda – and duty placed on LA’s to improve outcomes for CYP.
Whose responsibility is it to evidence that the child is making “reasonable” progress? – To whom does the burden of proof rest with? – should there be a standard of outcomes, rather than provision?
2.6 is confusing. It may serve to clarify the difference between the two sets of guidance in relation to EOTAS and missing children if the information was placed at the beginning of the document.
Whilst the information is correct in relation to the responsibilities, it also serves to highlight the fact that LA's powers are "diluted", by the amount of detail in relation to SAO's.
2.7 – proving that a parent is not providing a “suitable” education is extremely difficult given the lack of definition, and the limited authority to regulate and monitor EHE. In relation to any statutory response: SAO’s are very difficult to serve successfully. With non-school attendance, SAO’s can be very time consuming and costly. They can ensure a child is at least placed on a school roll by parents but rarely ensure the child’s attendance at the school.
2.11 Duty under Ed Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children Given the status – quo of existing legislation there appears to be no consistency between the limited authority to regulate and monitor the education of children educated at home, and the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. (in the context of families where there are existing safeguarding concerns)
4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
The information is accurate but, not necessarily helpful. It serves to highlight the restrictions placed on LA's to operate with regard to monitoring the suitability and efficiency of home education.
3.4 – little evidence of parents initiating contact with LA following or, in between visits from officers.
5 Do you agree that the section on providing a full-time education (paragraphs 3.11-3.14) – and in particular, the characteristics of provision (paragraph 3.13) – is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
3,13 - Should also include evidence of "progress"
6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?
Yes
Answer/Comments
None
7 a) Are the suggested resources in section 5 and appendix 2 useful?
Yes
Answer/Comments
None
7 b) Should any other contacts be included?
Not Sure
Answer/Comments
None
8 Please use this space for any other comments you wish to make about the guidelines
Answer/Comments
How do we balance the LA role between parental cooperation / limited powers to monitor education and safety of child, with duty to safeguard and promote welfare of children?
The rights of the parents to home educate their children is clear, however, the burden of proof as to whether they are providing a suitable education is clearly placed on the LA as well as other responsibilities to ensure that every child makes reasonable progress. Will a change in legislation prove to be more burdensome and expensive for LA’s and, more importantly, will it improve outcomes for those children EOTAS?
Claification on the role and status of the “Reasonable” person woud be helpful
Inspection – if part of the arrangements for inspection is to look at the way LA’s cater for home educated families in there area, what is the future role for LA’s in monitoring the educational achievements of children educated at home?
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