Calling SS on Tuesday

Yes and had I not have called they would not be making ANY enquiry

The letter that Grannypie refers to a few posts above is just such an "informal enquiry" by the way.

You're right @ixion I seriously regret my decision what I should have done is said nothing about the children's educational welfare being neglected and their future ruined because it's more important that I see them for my own needs, sod theirs.

I'm also concerned about the pleasure you seem to be taking from the thought if things going horribly wrong for me with regards to contact with my gc. I understand you and some others may be slightly disappointed by the result of my call to the LA but I'm sure you have things in your own life to focus on rather than rubbing your hands together at the thought of things going badly for me

Chardy

My understanding of home schooling is that the local authority can call round at any time to check that the children are receiving an education after their 5th birthday as this is the law.
www.gov.uk/home-education

No, they can make an"informal enquiry". They can not "call round at any time"

ixion

You do understand that once that LEA letter drops on your DIL's mat, as a result, you stand to lose contact with both her and your grandchildren for a good long time, possibly forever? Estrangement may well follow.

But you will be able to look yourself in the mirror and say

'You did a good job there, Granypie. Well done".

It does beg the question of whether it is better to have 'ensured' the GCs' education but lost contact, or said nothing and watched them grow up in 'alternative' circumstances. A moral dilemma.

It also adds credence to the un-PC music-hall jokes about MiL riding a broomstick, which is a pity.

Well I hope that last post helped justify your behaviour to yourself OP.
Unschooling (as you have been informed and given articles on) is a valid educational choice for a parent to implement.

You don’t agree with it, therefore you don’t think it’s valid based on your own values. But just because you don’t like it and want to stamp your foot, doesn’t make it any less of a valid choice for a PARENT to make.

The reality here is you have seriously overstepped your bounds and I’d imagine there will be consequences down the line for you. Hopefully it won’t impact any custody/separation stuff for your son, but who knows? I mean when people get angry they can make rash and impulsive choices - look at the phone call you made because you were having a wee tantrum and not getting your own way about someone else’s children.

All the best on your continued involvement here OP.

You do understand that once that LEA letter drops on your DIL's mat, as a result, you stand to lose contact with both her and your grandchildren for a good long time, possibly forever? Estrangement may well follow.

But you will be able to look yourself in the mirror and say

'You did a good job there, Granypie. Well done".

Sorry that should say not if the parents don't inform them of their arrangements

@chardy not sure f the parents do not inform them of their arrangements

I have contacted the local authority and yes of course they discussed the children with me. They're not going to turn somebody away who is raising a concern over a child. It did not matter to them who it was phoning.

They have told me that they will write to Dil to arrange a visit and take things from there. They can, if they feel necessary, enforce that Dil send the children to a school. Not tomorrow, but after a process has been followed that allows them to decide if the children are receiving a suitable full time education or not

As it stands they had never heard of my gc and said many from the "Unschooling" community like to stay "Under the radar" and actually thanked me for bringing the situation to light

I'd just like to point out that I am not against homeschooling if done properly nor am I against alternative methods of educating children. But this unschooling is not either of those things and should be nipped in the bud immediately.

My understanding of home schooling is that the local authority can call round at any time to check that the children are receiving an education after their 5th birthday as this is the law.
www.gov.uk/home-education

That is interesting NotSpaghetti I wonder if it applies here in Scotland too?
I remember getting into trouble when we took our DS out of school for one day to share a beach picnic with some old friends. Unfortunately he wrote a report of it in his news next day...
Later we took DD out of school for a term (I told them) and sent her to her DGP in France to attend their local school and learn the language. The school here was not pleased and we had dire warnings of her missing out. Of course she didn't.

GranyPie - "the first thing I'll be doing on Tuesday is phoning up their local authority and getting someone sent round there "

Oh dear. As we are now past "first thing on Tuesday" I suspect you have been told that the local authority will not discuss any children with you, as you do not have parental responsibility. They may well have questioned (as do I) why their father (who may or may not have PR) isn't raising the concerns himself.

As for "getting someone sent round there", I think this is very unlikely. No member of the public can demand this. The LA will have it's own procedures to follow in deciding whether a home visit is appropriate.

I will look forward to your update following your call to the LA, and their response.

Why doesn’t your son go for custody and send them to school

If a child has never attended school and you have never applied for a school place you do not need to inform the local authority about homeschooling. This is perfectly legal.

This is because the law here is that the parents are responsible for seeing that their child receives an education.
They can do this in one of two ways perfectly legally.

either by regular attendance at school, or otherwise

If you choose to send your child to school, you, as parent (or guardian) are responsible for actually getting your child to the school. You have basically (when requesting a place) given over your responsibility to educate your child to the government. If you choose the “otherwise” route, you can choose how you do it.

This is the nub of the law. The “otherwise” part allows for home-education, being taught by a private tutor or whatever.

The next line of the law says this education must be suitable to the child’s age ability and aptitude, and any special educational needs they may have. So you need to take each individual child into consideration.

The fact is, if a child is learning things which are suitable and in line with their age ability and aptitude, you are in fact compliant with the law. That’s it.
You don’t need to tell anyone when you are driving on the left, when you are not abusing your partner, when you are, in fact, obeying the law.

Hope this helps. I know if you aren’t familiar with home education it sounds odd but actually the law puts education in the hands of the parent. Interestingly, most people choose to give this up.

"Some of the replies beggar belief. I wonder if those posting them are anywhere near as rude and intrusive face to face as they are from behind their keyboards. "

Well said, Maggiemaybe. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is appalled by the rudeness shown by some people. There's just no need for it!

Well, Granypie, I bet you’re glad you came on here to ask for advice.

Some of the replies beggar belief. I wonder if those posting them are anywhere near as rude and intrusive face to face as they are from behind their keyboards.

I can understand your concern, but as has been said there are many routes to learning and it could be that the children are well and happy and thriving in their own way. I’m very surprised though that there has been no Local Authority involvement at all in 2 or 3 years, and it seems only sensible to get in touch with them. I do agree with those who say the call should be made by your son though, not by you.

As Lucca says, it would be interesting to hear what their response is.

Sorry, I mean the evidence that shows that many home educated children do not get good grades at formal exams and find it difficult to enter a competitive work place or higher education.

keepingquiet I’d love to see the evidence for this?

Children have a right to some form of education. Homeschooling has become quite trendy in recent years and children being home schooled should be registered with their local authority. I know in my very large LA there is only one person responsible for supervising home schooling. She visits the family once a year which gives a clear signal that home schooled children can be left to their own devices for very long periods of time.
Many home schooled children do not get good grades at formal exams and find it difficult to enter a competitive work place or higher education. There is a lot of catching up to do,
I have never heard of unschooling and as such would see it as a form of neglect. Some parents have had an unhappy experience of school and therefore feel they are being 'kind' in sparing their child this experience. I know a home schooled child who is now 19, has no qualifications and cannot find work. He has poor social skills and spends all his time playing video games, just the same as any other teenager. He knows nothing about caring for the planet.

It would be interesting if OP could let us know what the LEA say/do.

Good post Grammaretto education is wider than school.

It's the university education that depresses me now.
Schools, whatever ethos they have, are one thing but Universities are expensive and churn out too many young people who have little hope of a career in their chosen field and few practical skills.

DH and I hosted over 200 young, and not so young, people from around the world through HelpX. over 13 years.

A most interesting and memorable young man was from a restricted religious community in USA who had never been to school but he had a natural intelligence and confidence many lack.

Well it's a good job I'm not doing that then. What my gc is getting is by no means an education and of it is then the LA will ok them.

Granypie Unschooling is a bit more complicated than that, and there is a genuine theory and pedagogy behind it. I can’t say for certain that your son and DIL have been doing it ‘properly’ so to speak, but you can’t judge it based on a few articles that your (rather bitter by the sounds of things) son has showed you.