Legislative Council Wednesday 30 June, 2021

Mr VALENTINE on behalf of Ms FORREST question to LEADER of the GOVERNMENT in the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, Mrs HISCUTT

With regard to assessment of a parent or parents seeking approval to home school their children -

(1) What aspects are considered in determining eligibility of a parent or parents to home school their child or children?

(2) Are other service providers or organisations such as Child Safety Service consulted? If so:

(a) Which agencies are consulted?

(b) If there is no consultation with other services or organisations undertaken, how is suitability determined?

(c) How is the risk assessment conducted?

ANSWER

Madam Deputy President, I thank the member again for asking that question on behalf of the member for Murchison.

The answer to -

(1) Home education in Tasmania is a valid and legal form of education under the Education Act of 2016. The Education Registrar is responsible for the regulatory process or the registration of students in home education. Prospective applicants must address the registration standards as outlined in the Education Regulations of 2017. The standards are focused on ensuring that the approved home education program meets diverse learning needs, outlines appropriate teaching and learning methodologies, provides education that relates to the safety, health and wellbeing, provides for the development of interpersonal skills and environments that support the development of literacy and numeracy and specifies how learning progress is to evaluated and is provided by a suitable person.

While the standards generally relate to the educational components of the program, standard 3 requires, in part, a demonstration that the person providing the program thoroughly understands the areas of education to be provided.

(2) The homeschooling programs that are in place - the registrar may revoke that program if the registrar is satisfied that it is in the best interest of the child to do so. For example, if child safety is raised with the registrar as a concern by an external agency and that concern can be objectively confirmed, then the registrar can revoke the registration on the above grounds. In terms of new approvals there is no requirement under the legislation for the registrar to consult with other service providers or organisations, such as child safety, when approving a program with eligibility to determine in accordance with the registration standards as outlined in the Education Regulations 2017.