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Meeting the LA Education Department
EHE Consultation
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST
Your request for information has now been considered and the information requested is attached. Please note that this document dates back to July 2007 and that some of the LA's views expressed in it will have changed.
Leicestershire County Council
Access & Welfare Service
Room 144, County Hall
Glenfield, Leics. LE3 8RF
Local authority
1 Do you agree that it is helpful for the DfES to issue guidelines to local authorities?
Yes
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
Comments:
These paragraphs quote the law and appear accurate.
3 Do you agree that the description of local authorities’ responsibilities (paragraphs 2.5-2.11) is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
Comments: Para 2.6 on Children Missing Education is contradictory: the second sentence says that the LA duty to identify CME applies to those educated at home; the third sentence says that the duty does not apply to home-educated children. The duty to investigate possible CME seems fairly pointless if it does not cover all children who are out of school.
4 Do you agree that the section on contact with the local authority (paragraphs 3.4-3.7) is accurate and helpful?
Not Sure
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
6 Do you agree that the section on developing relationships (section 4) is useful?
Yes
7 a) Are the suggested resources in section 5 and appendix 2 useful?
Yes
7 b) Should any other contacts be included?
No
8 Please use this space for any other comments you wish to make about the guidelines
Comments:
(1)There is little in the draft guidance about children’s entitlements and later rights. It may be that a child in later years becomes dissatisfied with the provision made by his/her parents and with the LA’s involvement, eg if opportunities for certain qualifications or careers were lost. There is no mention of the potential for disputes and claims for compensation from children in later life who may feel that both their parents and the LA have deprived them of educational opportunities. The guidance is inadequate on this.
(2)The sections on safeguarding (2.11) and child protection (4.9) are inadequate. One of the concerns about home-educated children is that some are never seen. Normal enquiries about educational provision may not reveal whether or not children are known to the health authorities, but some may not be. It is difficult to see how LAs can carry out all their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children (including child protection, CME, or responding to concerns that a child may not be being educated, or monitoring children’s SEN) when EO powers and guidance gives them little right to access or information.
(3)The section on “flexi-schooling” is very poor. There is no mention of the dilemma for schools: governing bodies are under a duty to provide the national curriculum, but how can this be fully ensured when the child is out of school for part of each week? There is no mention of how such part-time attendance is to be recorded on the register. There is no mention of the school’s responsibilities or otherwise regarding the out-of-school provision. There is no mention of the organisational impact for schools and teachers. There is no mention of funding effects. There is no mention of school duties towards children with SEN. This is a potential minefield, and there is the possibility of litigation or claims for compensation against schools and LAs: this is not touched upon in the guidance.(5.6)
(4) The guidance may need more advice on criteria for monitoring provision
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Comment:
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News:
Leicestershire LA have a consultation running about their new Home Ed guidelines. Known home edders will have received a paper copy; everyone else can fill it in online http://www.leics.gov.uk/edu_consultations/elective_home_education . The closing date is March 30th 2009.
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for Director of Children and Young People's Service