Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England categorises 'children withdrawn from school to be home educated' as 'vulnerable children'.

The Office of the Children’s Commissioner is independent of the government and Parliament.

Children can be vulnerable for many different reasons. For the majority, being home educated will not affect the risk they are at. The government supports the right of parents to educate children at home when they wish to do so. Educating children at home works well when it is a positive choice and carried out with a proper regard for the needs of the child. However, we are looking carefully at the rise in Elective Home Education (EHE), particularly in respect to those children who have a social worker, education health and care plan or are known to children’s social care.

Following the announcement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 22 February 2021, children are expected to attend provision from 8 March 2021. We are working closely with local authorities to encourage a return to full attendance in school and will be monitoring the situation, particularly to ensure that vulnerable children make a good transition back to school where they have not attended during the period of national restrictions. Where parents are anxious about the safety of their children returning to school, local authorities and school leaders will be reinforcing that it is in the best interests of pupils to return to school, particularly those who are vulnerable and might miss out most from time away from the classroom.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to take action when it appears that the EHE provision made by parents is unsuitable or a request for a child to be electively home educated would place the child at risk. If parents are unable to satisfy the local authority that the provision is suitable then the local authority can serve a school attendance order on the parents. In April 2019 we issued new and strengthened guidance to local authorities on how they can exercise these powers.

On 20 October 2020 we published advice for parents considering EHE, see link https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/10/20/all-you-need-to-know-about-home-schooling-and-elective-home-education-ehe. This is designed to be shared with parents, schools, social workers and local authorities, where the option of EHE is raised. The document is intended to make clear implications of withdrawing their child from school and the challenge involved in providing EHE. At the same time we also produced information for local authorities and those who work with children, to set out how we expect those with duties to ensure children receive a suitable education to use their powers to engage with parents considering EHE where appropriate. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elective-home-education.