4. Will the First Minister make a statement on home schooled children in Wales? OAQ(5)0250(FM)[W]

The Welsh Government recognises the rights of parents to home educate their children. We also recognise the rights of children to receive an efficient and suitable education, to be listened to and to be safe. Our revised guidance, to be published shortly, reflects this.

Thank you for that response. I’m sure you’ll be aware that the children’s commissioner has called on the Government to introduce statutory guidance to make it a requirement for parents to register the fact that they are home schooling their children. She has made it clear recently in the Children, Young People and Education Committee that she would be willing to use her statutory powers in order to encourage the Government to move in that direction. Would you therefore agree with the commissioner, myself and many others that every day of delay runs the risk that another individual—and unfortunately we do have to say ‘another’ individual—is let down by this Government, because they run the risk of disappearing under the radar?

Local authorities, of course, have the main responsibility here, but I’m not saying there that we don’t have any responsibility at all. We’ll ensure that the guidance that comes out will strengthen the situation of local authorities and will explain what the duties and rights of parents, children and local authorities are. We’ll continue to consider how efficient and effective that guidance will be. We want to ensure that it is effective, and if anything needs to be changed in the system we will do so. But at present, I’m confident that that guidance will go much further to ensure the safety of children.

First Minister, it’s interesting and pleasing to hear that the guidance will be issued very shortly because, in my own authority, there are a known 114 children who are being home educated, but there’s only one part-time officer working with those. Can you also ensure that the guidance is going to enforce and put more pressure on local authorities to have a relationship between the number of children they see and the officer, as 114 for one is not adequate? We need to ensure more officers are actually working with those home-educated children so that they get the best support possible.

Clearly, it’s important that local authorities have enough people to work with home-educating parents and home-educated children. We will consider carefully if there are any further steps that will need to be taken. Regulation might be appropriate in the future, if necessary, in order to support home-educated learners, but our approach is to use this guidance to make sure that local authorities are able to get the clarity that they need to act swiftly where they feel that they have to. We will, of course, continue to work with the professionals in order for them to be able to work effectively with those families who do home educate.

Some families freely choose home schooling while others feel they have no alternative because the alternatives to school education for a troubled child are limited. While the number of the latter has dropped, the number of the former has increased from over 1,000 five years ago to over 1,500 last year. What does that say about the confidence in our school education system that they choose to home school? For those families that enrol but then withdraw their child, how sure are you that budget cuts, as has happened in Swansea, haven’t reduced the child’s entitlement to an appropriate level of education?

There are many different reasons why parents choose to home educate. I don’t believe that the system as a whole is a reason for that. We’re seeing ever improving education results in Wales and, of course, we’re seeing budgets having been protected and investment in schools—unlike, of course, the situation across the border.

How does the Welsh Government ensure that home-schooled children will receive a good standard of education?

The guidance, of course, will help to continue to ensure that, providing local authorities with the clarity that they need to ensure that the education that is provided is of a sufficient standard.