The focus on professionals and multi-agency working has become a kind of magical thinking on the part of policy makers and seems extremely unlikely to get us anywhere. There is no substitute for the hard graft of spending time with children, families and communities and seeking to understand their challenges and strengths.

I predict many more child deaths and SCR pointing the finger at each agency a out why information wasn’t shared or known.

Building a trusting and supportive relationship with the child and really hearing their voice seeing their life not gossiping and speculating in offices may be a better way forward.

They are living their life 24/7 GPs may only see them once a year or not at all with phone consultations. Health staff working with families in mental health substance misuse may never see the children and parents monthly or 4 times a year. Even health visitors see little of children now police may have information if they are involved but in most cases know nothing or anyone in the household and my experience of education is they too often parent blame for the schools failings to support the child and have significant issues with candour where harm occurs in their care.

The child needs to be brought to the forefront only they really know what life is like for them time needs to be spent building a relationship developing services and resources to gain their trust and provide safety
A club once a week they can attend get to know staff have a warm meal go out on trips access free clothing toiletries toothbrushes you will soon see who is hungry or desperately needs these things.

Strop rolling out more of the same it’s not working!!!

There needs to be better understanding of what home education looks like when it’s done well it’s not simply children at home isolated learning on line. It’s a mixture of social clubs sports clubs learning through first schools or local museums and library’s and art galleries visits and organised home education events. It’s spending lots of time outdoors with peers and following the child’s interests. These children are far from invisible or isolated. A home educated child who does not access anything outside the home (unless it is due to mental health) and parents have no goals to increase this or where there is no external interaction through gaming for example or contact by vidio call with friends as a process of building confidence are more concerning than those who may struggle to demonstrate structure learning online or written form but show a wide variety of learning through play or with peers.
The home ed community are not abusers nor should they be completed to the carers responsible for the murder of Sara Sharif treated with suspicion or contempt. It takes considerable time effort and commitment to home educate and juggle life but can be so positive for those children repeatedly failed by education where there is no change on the horizon. The system is broken to fix it ….yet another review with no solution more threats and intimidation with fines or criticism by services but never any help or services needs not met in school but parents blamed distress in the child due to being forced into school where they are constantly overwhelmed but then parents accused of causing the distress. Exclusions long term absence caused by this interrupt any learning that was happening the child falls more behind lies friendships and self esteem and becomes more distressed creating more parental blame education does nothing to support the child reflecting attention to funding behaviour parental neglect or worse fii. Add to that bullying or being the victim of harmful sexual behaviour and schools feel like living in hell. For all involved home education often provides a light at the end of an extremely dark tunnel and there should not be an attitude that school is best unless education truly pulls it’s socks up doesn’t delay action and addresses the horrific numbers of children raped and sexually abused in school with no protection from criminal justice social care or education.

Put the child firmly in the center stop focussing on professionals they have a role for sure but this isn’t working