Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 9 March (HC Deb col 81), what evidence they possess regarding the risks to young people which they say will require further regulation of home education.

Parents have the right to educate their children in elective home education and many do so effectively in their children’s best interests.

Home education is not in itself a risk, however evidence from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel highlights that school attendance is a protective factor for vulnerable children, highlighting the serious harm that has been experienced by some children withdrawn into home education. In addition, 96% of local authority respondents to the 2019 Children Not in School consultation believed Children Not in School registers were needed to support them to fulfil their education and safeguarding duties towards these children.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act introduces compulsory Children Not in School registers and requires parents of some children known to children's social care or with the highest needs to get permission from the local authority before withdrawing their children from school for home education.