Elective Home Education (EHE)

What is this?

Elective Home Education (EHE) is when parents choose to educate their children at home instead of sending them to school full-time.  This means the parents take full responsibility for ensuring their child(ren) receives a suitable education.

What is the link to safeguarding?

EHE is not in itself a safeguarding issue and many children educated in this way have a very positive learning experience.    It is important that the decision made by parents/carers to electively home educate their child(ren) is taken with the child’s welfare at the heart of it and there can be issues if the choice is not best for the child(ren) and they do not receive suitable education. There is also the consideration that they will be less visible to services that are there to keep them safe and supported in line with their needs.

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) Panel produced a Panel Briefing (3) in May 2024 (link below) highlighted some of the findings and learning from case reviews undertaken where home educated children have been seriously harmed and it is considered that this is linked to abuse or neglect.

The findings highlight a missing link in relation to safeguarding efforts for children not enrolled in traditional educational settings.  Children who are not benefiting from the oversight and support structures of educational providers can be at greater risk of any abuse they are experience going undetected.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is going through Parliament and is currently at the Report Stage in the House of Lords, with Royal Assent anticipated later this year.  When enacted, this will provide greater safeguards for children who are home educated.

Responsibilities for Schools

When a child is deleted from the school roll, in accordance with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024, a school must make a return to the local authority.  The Local Authority has the same safeguarding responsibilities for children educated at home as for all other children.

Where a parent/carer has expressed their intention to remove a child from school with a view to educating at home, it is recommended in Keeping Children Safe In Education, 2025, that local authorities, schools, and other key professionals work together to coordinate a meeting with parents/carers where possible. This would be before a final decision has been made, to ensure the parents/carers have considered what is in the best interests of each child. This is particularly important where a child has special educational needs or a disability, and/or has a social worker, and/or is otherwise vulnerable. Where a child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan local authorities will need to review the plan, working closely with parents and carers.

Below is the link for the school to complete when a child is being taken ‘off roll’:

For information and for signposting to parents/carers, below is the link to the on-line form that needs to be completed by parents to register their child(ren) for EHE.

For information on school attendance, children missing education etc. please see link to the Local Authority website below:

Role of the Local Authority

DfE guidance for local authorities on EHE (Elective Home Education – Departmental guidance for local authorities, April 2019) sets out the role and responsibilities of local authorities and their powers to engage with parents. Although this is primarily aimed at local authorities, schools should also be familiar with this guidance.

There are requirements upon the local authority to ensure that children not being seen regularly in schools have some contact maintained.

Guidance