Unfortunately for them, the government has said it will implement these in full. Mindful however of the army of home educators opposed to interference from the state, the Department for Children, Schools and Families has put them out to a public consultation first.
Badman's recommendations would mean parents who choose to educate their children from home become regulated like never before. Chief among the proposals are a compulsory registration scheme; annual statements outlining parents' educational approach and objectives for the coming year; and the right for local authority staff to speak alone with children educated at home.
Badman sought to probe the extent to which home education is used as a cover for child abuse. Foster mother and home educator Eunice Spry was last spring imprisoned for 14 years for abusing her children. While the review claimed to find evidence of a small number of cases where children have suffered harm, many home educators are understandably enraged at being made to feel guilty until proven innocent.
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