Number of children being home-schooled up by 76% in borough

The number of children registered for home education across Caerphilly County Borough has risen by 76% since before the Covid-19 pandemic started, new figures reveal.

As of July 1 last year, there were 151 children being home educated in the borough, up from 86 in 2019.

Sally Holland, children’s commissioner for Wales, said the rise in numbers being home educated since the pandemic “makes it even more important that the law is strengthened in this area”.

“Home education is a positive choice for some families but others enter into it in an unplanned way because their children are not coping with school for a wide variety of reasons,” Ms Holland said.

“Children need better support and safeguards. At the moment, some simply drop off the radar with few means of ensuring they are receiving a suitable education, seen and listened to.

“Without this it is simply not possible to know whether their human rights to education, socialisation and safety are being met. This is not good enough, and sadly, we know in Wales that on rare occasions this can have devastating and tragic consequences.

“It needs to change.”

Cecile Gwilym, policy and public affairs manager for NSPCC Cymru, said it is ‘crucial’ that students who have not returned to school are identified so that they can be supported by local authorities.

“While every family has a right to educate a child and home learning, of itself, is not a risk factor for abuse or neglect, it is absolutely vital that we ensure children who are not attending schools do not fall off the local services radar and the NSPCC has long supported registration for children who are educated at home,” Ms Gwilym said.

“It is disappointing that proposals for such a register have been shelved by Welsh Government, especially at a time when children and families are in increased need of support due to the pandemic.”

The Welsh Government said it has made £1.7 million available this year, including funding for education resources and activities for home educated learners.

A spokesman said: “We are developing proposals that will further strengthen the existing framework, to help ensure home educated children receive a suitable education and their wellbeing needs are met.

“This includes new statutory guidance for local authorities, increased support for home educated children and improved advice and support for home educators.

“There will also be a database to assist local authorities with their statutory duty to identify children in their area who are of compulsory school age and not receiving a suitable education.”