Member

We all know that in the complex and varied circumstances of home education, legal action can sometimes have unintended consequences. It may disrupt the child’s learning, undermine family stability and in some cases even drive children into situations of greater vulnerability. We cannot ignore the mounting evidence that forcing children back into unsuitable school environments, or criminalising their parents for seeking alternatives, too often inflicts harm rather than gives protection. Families have spoken of children spiralling into mental health crises at the age of six, of trauma so severe that it triggered seizures, panic attacks or suicidal thoughts, and of Sunday evenings filled with dread, stomach pains and tears.