Registering home educated children...

Comments from a BBC article - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8306730.stm (please see article to get the full context)

>Home education lobby groups told a committee of MPs that a register would lead to interference by officials. <>But the Association of Directors of Children's Services told the committee of MPs that a register was necessary to ensure children's safety.<>There is currently no way of measuring how many children are educated at home.<>A review of home education in England which was published in June suggests home educating families in England should have to register annually and demonstrate they are providing a suitable education.<> Children, Schools and Families Committee< style="font-weight: bold;">schools comes before families in the title - a deliberate attempt to make schools appear more important than families one must ask...?

>"It seems strange that we do not know how many home educated children there are and where they are." <>Mr Shearman said the issue of children who "disappear" was a very real and important matter and a register of home educated children could help in tackling this problem.<>David Chaytor, Labour MP for Bury North, told the home education representatives at the hearing that he could not understand their reluctance to accept a register of home educated children.

"If you're confident about the quality of what's being done, what's the objection to registration?"<

Schools have to be registered and look at the mess they're in - even with so-called inspectors going in every so often! So registration will help home educators how?

>Carole Rutherford, co-founder of Autism in Mind, said parents of children with special needs, who had taken their child out of school, often had a negative experience of the local authority officials.<>Peter Traves from the Association of Directors of Children's Services told the select committee that a register of home educators was essential for children's safety.<>"We do need to know where children are and we do need the power to require people to let us know," Mr Traves said.<>"If something happens to a child... we are held directly to account.<>"We have seen recently what happens recently to directors of children' services when things go seriously wrong - it is not only sacking, it is public humiliation and it is a very serious matter.

"I'm held to account for children's welfare, and I think not to know there are children living and being educated in my area is actually unreasonable if I'm being held to that account."<

That was a totally different case (if he's talking about Baby P) the SS knew that child was being abused and yet did nothing to prevent it! Many cases have found SS to be irresponsible in their judgements and I don't know how registering children who are home educated will make them 'safer'! Safer from what one must ask...?

>"The registration system should only be a light tool, not overly elaborate," he said.<

Yes, well we don't believe that for one minute! The abortion law was passed an was only supposed to be for women who were too ill (mentally or otherwise) to have children and now look how abortion is used! Nope Labour Government we don't believe you - you are sly, conniving, underhand, liars, deceitful, unwise and undiscerning!