AQW 20249/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the public services involved when a child is home-schooled.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 9 January 2025
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 9 January 2025
- Answer due by
- 24 January 2025
- Answered
- 21 January 202512 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The legislative position in Northern Ireland is that the responsibility for a child’s education rests with the child’s parents. Parents may choose to educate their children at home rather than register them at a school, however if they choose to home educate their child they take on full responsibility for ensuring their child receives an efficient full-time education suitable to the child’s needs. Parents who choose to educate their children outside of the publicly funded education system do not receive financial assistance towards the education they provide.
Parents who choose to home educate their children, or those considering deregistering their child for elective home education, may contact the Education Authority (EA) for advice or support. Parents who are educating a child at home who has special educational needs or a disability may ask the EA to carry out a statutory assessment or reassessment of their child’s special educational needs and this will be considered in the same way, and within the same statutory timescales as for a child attending a school. Home educating parents are also welcome to attend any training programmes delivered by the EA for parents to assist them in understanding and supporting their child’s special educational learning needs.
Should a concern arise with a child’s education, the EA as a public sector organisation will engage with the family regarding the educational concern that has been raised. Any safeguarding concerns are dealt with by social services.
The EA published guidance on Elective Home Education in 2020 which outlines the current legislative position, the roles and responsibilities of parents, schools and the EA and details the process of engagement with parents/carers when concerns are raised. It also provides information and signposting for home educating parents on the support available to them. This guidance is available on the EA website:
https://www.eani.org.uk/services/elective-home-education