Home-ed registers to be mandatory under newly passed law

Home-educating families will be required to register their children with their local authority, under legislation that has now gained Royal Assent.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act requires that councils keep ‘Children Not in School registers’ and provide advice to families on request, although families are not obliged to follow it. The registers will not be implemented until after a consultation on draft guidance and associated regulations.

The Christian Institute warned against the legislation’s overreach from the outset, but welcomed some cutting back of the amount of detail parents are required to provide.

‘Important opportunity’

The Christian Institute’s Head of Education John Denning encouraged parents to help shape the Act’s implementation once consultations begin.

“Some of the key details of how the registers will operate and a list of what they will record will now be set out in regulations. For example, the regulations will determine whether churches are placed under any duties to disclose information to local authorities about home-educated children attending church youth groups.

“In response to concerns expressed by Peers in the House of Lords, these regulations will have to be explicitly approved by votes in Parliament and will only be considered after a public consultation. There will also be a consultation on the accompanying guidance for local authorities.

“Christians who are concerned can use this important opportunity to make their voice heard. It is because of the concerns expressed that some helpful changes were made to the Bill during its passage through Parliament. It is well worth continuing to speak out: it does make a difference.”

Requirements

Under the Act, local authorities must consider the context of the home at the point of registration.

A pilot scheme will be introduced in selected local authorities where a child’s name will not be removed from a school register until there is a mandatory meeting with the parents, but this cannot override their decision to home educate.