Reassurance - no plan to change rights of parents to home educate

The review is about assessing whether the current system has the ability to intervene where appropriate - who is best placed to do that, when is the right time and in what way. Want your perspective on that..

We want to try and better understand your position - if our line of questioning or language offends please let us know when and why. And we apologise. IF there are any specific circumstances of HE children that we're not getting / that don't seem to be being recognised, let us know.

Tell us a bit more about how your local support groups operate

You have told us that some LAs are not providing good support or advice, or are intervening inappropriately with HE families. What is it that they are / are not doing that you would like to change?

What are the good LAs doing that makes them good? What should they do more of / less of?

How do we get LAs engaged properly with parents, particularly those who maybe don't want support / advice / any contact?

In your view / experience, what type of support do HE families get from LAs?

Would they like to see more / less of this support or different types of support? If so, what?

What types of things as a Department do you think we should be mindful of / consider / encourage with other government departments / stakeholders / partners, in relation to HE?

We know that many parents choose to home educate as their child has special needs - what more can be done to support those parents?

Do you have any links with traveller or other BME communities that home educate? If not, why do you think that is?

We have been told that some parents who choose to home educate or who say they home educate, are not in fact providing a suitable home education. Do you think this should be allowed to continue? If not, what suggestions do you have that Govt could do to support these families?

We have been told by some LAs that some parents are using HE as an excuse to get out of prosecution for truancy etc and they are concerned that these children are not being home educated at all. What do you think can be done about that?

Some LAs have said that they worry about the safety, wellbeing and education of children who they are not able to physically see - do you think that should be looked at and if so, how would you address those concerns?

Where there is a problem / issue, what do we do? Who is best placed to deal with concerns and in what way? What should be the response?

How to engage home educating families, and in particular, children. How to approach and how to engage (e.g. focus groups, group meetings, open meetings?).