5/2/2024

First we will explain briefly what the changes would be, then what you need to do now.

The proposed children’s wellbeing and school bill will require home educators to register, but that register is going to require a ridiculous level of information from parents, this is AS WELL AS the LA enquiries about the learning. The info the register will require includes the specific number of hours the child learns, how many hours with each parent or alone, the names and addresses of every person involved in their learning (yup that means your nan, the neighbour and the shopkeeper), details of every website used, and so much more. It will be impossible for most families to provide this info, nor is it of any benefit to anyone. It will in effect ban most styles of home education.
It goes on to require details of every group/activity attended (again this is on top of the LA enquiries about the education) and can result in fines or prison for the person running the group if they fail to provide info of any home ed kids there. We can’t see swimming lessons, scouts, home ed mum arranged outings etc being willing to do that, so they will stop offering access to home educators.

The LA will also be able to decide what is in your child’s best interests despite the education being suitable, and no safeguarding concerns known.

There will be changes to the dereg process too for special school and if there is a child protection case open, and worse still if one is being assessed the LA has to refuse dereg even if the concerns are school related, or the child is not safe in school.

This is just a really brief overview. We have more info in our previous posts, please do read them. And you can read our annotated version of the bill HERE

So far the bill has had 2 readings in parliament, and has been discussed at a scrutiny committee review. Home educators (and others) sent written submissions in, explaining the problems with the home education elements of the bill. Some amendments were put forwards by the committee, but there was not enough time for them to be properly discussed. And there was a very clear lack of the home educator (or child) voice.

What now?

The next stage is called the report stage in parliament. This means MPs can raise and discuss concerns and amendments to the bill. It will then move to the Lords for a similar process.

TIME IS SHORT – DO NOT DELAY

What we need you to do:

1. Sign this open letter.
   
2. Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you get updates.
   
3. We will be sharing a petition in the coming days this will be sent out as an addition to the normal newsletter, and added here when the petition is live.
   
4. Write to your MP (even if you already have).
   
5. AND write to as many Lords as you can. There’s 800+ Lords listed we don’t expect you to email them all, and please don’t just send to the Lords listed on the first page of the list, pick a random page so that we can try to ensure as many are contacted as possible. If you get a reply please do let us know. It would be better to BCC rather than CC each lord, however if you can send a personal email to each one then that is even better.

• You will need to give your name and address, but can make it clear if you want your name to be kept confidential (they will automatically never divulge your address).
• Give a brief overview of your home education situation, why you home ed, a little insight into how you home ed etc. Make it personal.
• Explain that whilst you fully agree children who are being harmed, neglected, not educated etc are a priority, you notice that the home education elements/the register part of this bill does nothing to find or protect these children, instead it does harm to the home education community.
• Explain that the scrutiny committee ran out of time to fully discuss the sections relating to home education and that you ask they raise the issues themselves. That you want them to be the voice of the home educated child.
• If you did a submission to the committee you could include it as an attachment, or copy the wording and say this is what you submitted.
• Or if you are struggling to explain your thoughts on the bill, you could include the Educational Freedom submission, but make it very clear that you are sharing our submission with them as you are struggling to explain the problems with the bill as it is complex, but that you ask they give it their full attention. DO NOT just send our submission, ensure you do all of the other steps to make it personal.
• Talk about how the bill is not proportionate, include examples, such as the level of detail required is not going to protect a child but could take up valuable time for the parent to collate the info, that the LA is in effect removing parental rights, and at no point is the voice of the child heard, nor a child protected. Use the annotated bill we linked earlier, or our submission, to aid you with which points to raise.
• Explain if you home educate because of SEN not being met.
• You can also explain that the impact assessment was not fit for purpose as it has many inaccuracies and took no notice of the true impact on innocent home educators, nor does it prove any benefit to the children who we are meant to be protecting.
• Remember we are not asking them to vote against the bill in its entirety, we are asking them to consider if the home educated sections really are necessary.
• Ask if they would be willing to meet/chat, this is a great way of getting the MP or Lord to understand home education, and that the bill will undermine the positives.