Home teaching plan 'putting children at risk'

MINISTERS have been accused of putting children at risk of abuse and poor teaching by scaling down checks on children who are not enrolled for school.

The Scottish Parent Teacher Council (SPTC) claims that the Scottish Executive has caved in to pressure from the vocal lobby of parents who teach their children at home.

Revised draft guidelines issued yesterday propose dropping a number of controls for children outside the education service.

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The original guidelines, sent out for consultation last year, caused a storm of protest among parents who choose to teach their own children.

They said that the new checks represented unwarranted interference.

The proposals suggested that education authorities should identify all children in their area, through the census, birth and health records.

It also proposed that education authorities carry out regular checks on the quality and range of teaching given by parents who educate their own children, and laid out a rigorous procedure of checks before children could be withdrawn from school.

But yesterday Eleanor Coner, spokeswoman for the SPTC, said she was "deeply concerned" by the scaled-down guidelines.

She said: "I think it’s putting children at risk. I can’t see what anyone could have against what were sensible, balanced checks to protect children from possible abuse or inadequate education. " Citing the example of the mass murderer Fred West, who kept his children at home, she said: "That was a very extreme case but it is a high profile example of the need for checks. It is very easy for a child to disappear. Children’s need for protection has got to be central to these measures."

Mrs Coner accused the home education groups of taking a narrow view. "This is a vocal lobby which is very much into independence and being in control. But we have to provide measures for children in a wide range of situations. I think the Executive has bowed to pressure from them"

Mrs Coner said that the SPTC, believes it is overall not in the best interests of children for them to be educated at home. She said however that parents have the right to do this and many "do a fantastic job".

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Ann Samuel Tills, spokeswoman for the home education group Education Otherwise, dismissed the SPTC claims, describing the new draft guidelines as "a vast improvement". She denied that children outside the education system are at greater risk of abuse.

Alison Preuss of the Scottish home education grouping, Schoolhouse, said: "I am glad that we will not now have men up trees with binoculars trying to track down children. "

A spokesman for the Executive said the guidelines were still in draft form.

He added: "This is not a case of education authorities washing their hands of their role in child protection."

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