An evidence based review of the risks to children and young people who are educated at home Final Report Donald Forrester Nina Maxwell Tom Slater Julie Doughty Commissioned by the National Independent Safeguarding Board October 2017 Contents List of tables .......................................................................................................................................... 3 List of figures ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Key terms and definitions .................................................................................................................... 4 A Note on Devolution ............................................................................................................................ 5 1.0 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Method.............................................................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Main findings ................................................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Review of existing evidence ...................................................................................................... 6 1.3.2 Serious Case Reviews and Child Practice Reviews: ................................................................ 7 1.3.3 Stakeholder responses: interviews and survey responses ....................................................... 7 1.4 Discussion ....................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 9 2.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 13 3.0 METHODS ....................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Literature review ........................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Review of Child Practice Reviews and Serious Care Reviews ................................................ 18 3.3 Interviews: Professionals ............................................................................................................. 19 3.4 Interviews: Home educators ........................................................................................................ 19 3.5 Online survey respondents .......................................................................................................... 19 4.0 SUMMARY OF THE LEGAL AND POLICY CONTEXT .......................................... 21 4.1 Education ....................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2 Safeguarding ................................................................................................................................. 22 5.0 A RAPID REVIEW OF EXISTING EVIDENCE ON HOME EDUCATION AND CHILD WELL-BEING ........................................................................................................... 23 5.1 Who is being home educated? .................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Why are children home educated? ............................................................................................. 24 5.2.1 Bullying .................................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.2 Special Educational Needs ...................................................................................................... 25 5.2.3 Gypsy and Travellers ............................................................................................................... 26 5.3 Key Points ...................................................................................................................................... 27 6.0 ANALYSIS OF CHILD PRACTICE AND SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS ................ 28 6.1 Withdrawers ................................................................................................................................... 30 2 6.2 Avoiders ......................................................................................................................................... 31 6.3 Key points ...................................................................................................................................... 32 7.0 STAKEHOLDER RESPONSES: INTERVIEWS AND SURVEY RESPONSES .. 33 7.1 Views of home educating parents ............................................................................................... 33 7.1.1 Why do families home educate? ............................................................................................. 33 7.1.2 How effective is current service delivery to support Home Education in Wales? .................... 34 7.1.3 Home education and safeguarding .......................................................................................... 38 7.1.4 Key Points ................................................................................................................................ 41 7.2 Views of professionals ................................................................................................................. 42 7.2.1 Are home educated children known to professionals? ............................................................ 42 7.2.2 Examples of children in need of care or support ..................................................................... 45 7.2.3 Key points ................................................................................................................................ 46 8.0 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................. 47 9.0 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................. 52 10.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 56 APPENDIX A: METHOD ..................................................................................................... 65 APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW SCHEDULE ......................................................................... 70 APPENDIX C: ONLINE SURVEY ...................................................................................... 73 APPENDIX D: WHAT IS THE LEGAL AND POLICY CONTEXT OF HOME EDUCATION? ....................................................................................................................... 78 APPENDIX E: EDUCATION OTHERWISE STATEMENT ............................................ 90 APPENDIX F: POLICY DOCUMENTS WALES .............................................................. 93 APPENDIX G: HOME EDUCATOR ONLINE SURVEY DATA ..................................... 94 List of tables Table 1: Overview of CPRs/SCRs ....................................................................................... 29 Table G2: Home educator characteristics ........................................................................... 95 Table G3: Number of children ............................................................................................. 95 Table G4: How long have you been home educating your child? ........................................ 96 Table G5: Contact with the local authority ........................................................................... 96 Table G6: Education's role in assessing child welfare ......................................................... 97 List of figures Figure A1: Literature review search strategy ....................................................................... 66 3 Key terms and definitions Child(ren)/young people - Unless otherwise stated, a child/young person is to be understood as any person below the age of 18 (see section 105 of the Children Act 1989 and Article 1 of the UNCRC). The terms ‘child(ren)’ and ‘young people/persons’ are used interchangeably. Compulsory education age – All children aged 5 to 16 years are required to receive an education ‘at school or otherwise’. For those in mainstream education, an optional reception year is available for children at the age 4. Multiple opportunities exist for non-compulsory education post-16 years1. Home education may form part, or all, of a child’s compulsory educational experience. EHE – Elective home education is the term used by Welsh Government and the Department for Education in England to refer to children who are educated otherwise (i.e. they are not receiving education via EOTAS (see below) or in a school setting, whether State, private or other). This report uses this term only when quoting sources that use EHE. EOTAS – Education Other Than At School includes educational provision of education outside a school setting. This can include, but is not limited to, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), individual pathways, and other