|
| ||||
Freedom for Children to Grow |
||||
The Law Relating to
|
Press Release ArchiveMonsday 26th July 2010Updated Press Release on the publication of the Serious Case Review into the death of Khyra IshaqIan Matthews Education Otherwise new Media Spokesperson said, "We have not had sight of the Serious Case Review and we are not prepared to speculate on its findings, except to say that Birmingham Children's Services has been widely criticised for its lamentable record on child protection." Read Full Press Release. Home Education Licensing Scheme Thrown out in Last Minute Wash-UpHome educators today feel a huge sense of relief as the Government has been forced to drop the home education parts of the Children Schools and Families Bill in a last-minute wash-up agreed by front benchers of the three major parties at the end of the current Parliament.The Government had mistakenly attempted to rush through changes to the home education law in England without pre-legislative scrutiny. Read Full Press Release. Home Education Charity Slams Birmingham's "Lamentable" Child Protection FailureFiona Nicholson, Trustee of Education Otherwise (EO) said "Ofsted has already found that Birmingham is failing to protect children and questions have been raised over the high number of child deaths in the last few years. Fears for the safety of Khyra and other family members were made known to social services by the deputy head of her school both before and after she was de-registered. However it appears that Birmingham Social Services did not see sufficient cause to act on concerns.The millions of pounds that Birmingham has spent on its ambitious ‘Brighter Futures’ information sharing system appears to have been at the expense of protecting children from abuse and neglect. For anyone to blame home education is a red herring designed to distract attention from Birmingham’s lamentable child protection record." Read Full Press Release. EO Asks if Government Guidance Contradict Assurances from the Minister about Home Education Funding?On November 12th in the House of Commons Minister Diana Johnson said:"So far as local authority support for the education of home educated pupils is concerned, we plan to strengthen the school census guidance for the January 2010 return to ensure that all local authorities are aware that they can already include in the Alternative Provision Return for Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) home educated pupils whom they support financially and who have a statement, or have significant special educational needs that have not been formally recognised through a statement; and pupils whom they fund to attend college for post-14 qualifications including GCSEs and Diplomas. These pupils will then count as a unit for DSG purposes."Education Otherwise has located the latest Government guidance on Alternative Provision which is dated January 28th 2010. There is a helpful table on page 17 of the guidance which sets out the criteria for inclusion in the census return. "Pupil whose parents have elected to educate at home. Include? No. Category: Not applicable." Read Full Press Release Select Committee Disagrees with Proposed Legislation on Home EducationAfter due scrutiny, members of the Children Schools and Families Committee were clearly not satisfied either with the methodology of the Badman Review or with the evidence base. The Committee Report is critical of the Government's conflation of education with safeguarding. Significantly, the Committee does not find sufficient grounds for changing the law on home education.Read Full Press Release Home Educators in a HeadlockQueen's speech brings announcement of change to law on home education in England. "In a rapidly changing world Government could learn much from the good practice of home educators- instead it has decided to bring forward legislation that will stamp it out" said Annette Taberner of Education Otherwise who met twice with Graham Badman during the course of the review on home education.
Read Full Press Release Education Otherwise to Give Oral Evidence to InquiryEducation Otherwise have been called to give oral evidence to the Select Committee Inquiry into the Badman Review of Elective Home Education Read Full Press Release Education Otherwise welcomes the Select Committee Inquiry into the Badman Review of Elective Home EducationEducation Otherwise welcomes today's notification of a Select Committee Inquiry into the Badman Review of Elective Home Education. Fiona Nicholson, Trustee of Education Otherwise said: "There are a number of questions around the rushed nature of the Review and the sweeping recommendations which are wholly disproportionate to any evidence for change put forward by Graham Badman. " Read Full Press Release Home Educators’ Petition Rejecting the State as Parent of First Resort Strikes a ChordA petition launched following the Government’s announcement of an Independent Review into Home Education has reached the top 50 most popular petitions on Downing Street’s e-petition site. Read Full Press Release Home Educators Share Concern over Misleading Advice Leading to Local Authority Staff Breaking the LawEducation Otherwise today issued a Press Release supporting ARCH's research paper "Protecting the Virtual Child". Read Full Press Release Response to "Morgan: Action to Ensure Children’s Education & Welfare"Education Otherwise today issued a press release in response to the announcement by DCSF of a review of home education contained in the press release entitled MORGAN: ACTION TO ENSURE CHILDREN’S EDUCATION & WELFARE". Read Full Press Release Press Release on Social Security (Lone Parents & Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008At 10.00 today (Thursday) the House of Lords Merits Committee will publish its report on the Social Security (lone parents and miscellaneous amendments) Regulations 2008. The measures, which have been met with opposition throughout their progress through Parliament, will then be presented to both Houses of Parliament for approval. Read Full Press Release Press Release on Home Education Following Tragic Birmingham CaseEducation Otherwise has just issued a press release about home education following the tragic events in Birmingham.
Read Full Press Release Lack of Appropriate Childcare Will Leave Children Home AloneEducation Otherwise today issued a Press Release commenting that today's teachers' strike has revealed severe shortages in suitable affordable childcare. EO asks when the Government will realise that this is also a huge problem for home educating single parents.Education Otherwise points out that reforms of the welfare system mean that home educating lone parents may be forced to leave children as young as 7 for 16 hours a week.
Read Full Press Release Anti-bullying week 19th - 23rd NovemberEducation Otherwise has issued a press release prior to Anti-Bullying week which starts next Monday 19th November. Please email EO's media co-ordinator Ann Newstead if you wish information about the experience of home educators.Read Full Press Release Home Education Legal Until 18Education Otherwise yesterday welcomed a personal assurance from the Secretary of State, Ed Balls, that home education would continue to be a legal option for young people between the ages of 16 and 18.Annette Taberner of EO Government Policy Group told a meeting at the Institute of Education in London that there was a poor level of understanding about home education and many barriers and difficulties are faced by parents.
Read Full Press Release
Education Otherwise Points Out That Sufficient Laws And Safeguards Are Already In Place To Regulate Home Education And To Protect Vulnerable Children
Education Otherwise issued the following statement to coincide with the sentencing of Eunice Spry. Read Full Press Release
Press Release: Support Charity Launches New Campaign Website"Freedom for Children to Grow" is the new campaign website launched today by Education Otherwise, Britain's largest and longest established home education support charity. Read Full Press Release.
Press Release: Education Otherwise Reminds Minister That Home Educators Are StakeholdersEducation Otherwise issue a press release condemning home educators' exclusion from pre-consultation discussions with the DfES and calling for the earliest possible response from Alan Johnson Secretary of State for Education.
|
|
||
