Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a register of children outside of school.

The government remains committed to legislating for a local authority registration system for children not in school, as well as placing a duty on local authorities to provide support to home educating families.

My hon. Friend, the Member for Meon Valley, introduced the Children Not in School (Registers, Support and Orders) Private Members’ Bill on 11 December 2023. The Bill’s Second Reading is scheduled for 15 March 2024. The government is working with her as she progresses her Bill.

In the meantime, the department continues to work with local authorities to improve their non-statutory registers; analyse local authority data from the voluntary elective home education and children missing collection to build a more accurate picture of the landscape.

The department has also held a consultation on revising its elective home education guidance for local authorities and parents. This consultation closed on 18 January 2024 and the department will publish its response and revised guidance in due course.