Home educators should not expect support from central government, says minister

Elizabeth Truss told the education select committee that parents and carers who choose to educate their children at home had a “responsibility” to meet costs themselves, at her first appearance before the group.

During the meeting, a member of the committee asked Truss whether the Department for Education (DfE) would support a voucher system to help home educators access services or equipment.

Truss said constraints on the education budget mean that such a system would be unworkable, adding that it is up to councils to decide how to support local parents.

“There’s not an obvious pot from which that money would come from. If local authorities think it’s worthwhile – that’s their decision,” said Truss.

“When home educators make the decision to home educate their child they’re taking responsibility for that child’s education, and they’re taking financial responsibility for that education.”

A committee member pointed out that local authorities’ support for home educators varied across the country, but Truss insisted that it is not the DfE’s responsibility to achieve consistency from area to area.

“Getting consistency isn’t necessarily the right objective,” said Truss. “The right objective is trying to get the best possible service – that lies in the hands of local authorities.”

Truss also told the committee the government was not prepared to intervene with schools that are denying home educators help to access examination centres for their children. 

“Offering these options if you’re a local school carries costs,” said Truss. “I’d be very careful about the government imposing additional requirements on schools or exam boards.

“The direction of travel of the government’s school reforms is about them making their own decisions and having autonomy. We’re reluctant to intervene where the evidence suggests that while home educated children might find it difficult to get to examinations, they are getting to them.”

But the charity Education Otherwise said that government should do more to make sure that support offered by local authorities meets a basic standard across the country.

“Although there is no statutory duty to provide practical or financial assistance in respect of a child who is electively home educated, some local authorities provide assistance from funds they are able to access via existing government funding for alternative provision,” said Anne Rix, chair of Education Otherwise.

“This assistance varies widely between local authorities, meaning that families experience a postcode lottery when it comes to support. Education Otherwise would like to see existing law and guidelines applied consistently and appropriately by all local authorities.”

The select committee hearing will inform a forthcoming report into home education. Truss added that she would not back moves to create a register for all children being educated at home, despite the fact that the exact number of children being home-schooled is unknown.