‘We can't make him fit into the system’: parental reflections on the reasons why home education is the only option for their child who has special educational needs

Abstract

This small-scale study investigates the perspectives of parents whose children have special educational needs/disabilities and who have elected to withdraw their children from the state-maintained education system in England and educate them at home. The study draws on data gathered from seven parents and their perspectives of home education following a government-commissioned review of home education in 2009, subsequently known as the ‘Badman Report’. The former New Labour government commissioned this review to assess the merits of the system of supporting and monitoring home education in England. Findings identified a number of issues, including the lack of understanding by staff within school settings around the issues of special needs and particularly in the area of autistic spectrum disorders, the failure to engage in partnership with parents and the impact that the school environment had upon the children.

Keywords:

• home education
• autistic spectrum disorders (ASD)
• special needs
• Badman Report
• parental perspectives

Acknowledgement

The author thanks the parents who participated in this study. May your voices be heard.