Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond ‘incredibly concerned about the sheer number of children who are not in school’

The Meon Valley MP recently presented her Children Not in School (Register) Bill to place a legal duty on local authorities to maintain a register of children who are not in school.

However, for the Ten-Minute Rule Bill to become law, it needs government support.

‘We are all concerned about the 81,000 children who are not on the school register, but are under the term ‘home-educated’,’ she told MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions.

‘No one - neither local authorities, nor schools - can honestly answer the question of how many children are not in school.

“Therefore, how can we know that every child is safe and suitably educated? These children are out of sight and out of mind.

‘The Secretary of State for Education has said that this is one of her priorities, as has the Education Committee.

‘Can I ask my right honourable friend to expedite my Ten-Minute Rule Bill to place a duty on local authorities to maintain a register of children who are not in school, so that we can ensure that every child is visible, safe, suitably educated and receiving the support to enable them to thrive?’

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: ‘We want to ensure that all children are safe and have access to an excellent education.

‘Of course, local authorities must seek to identify children missing in their area and ensure that they are safe.

‘The Department for Education continues to undertake work to support swifter identification and greater support of children missing in education.”

Speaking afterwards, Ms Drummond added: ‘I certainly welcome any work by the Department for Education to ensure children out of school are identified and supported but I do not believe that is enough.

‘Local authorities need to be given a statutory obligation to identify these children backed by suitable and proportionate penalties if they do not do so.

‘I remain incredibly concerned about the sheer number of children who are not in school.

‘Parents are entitled to educate their children at home and many do so well, but some do not and this register would pick those children up and ensure they receive an education and are safe.’