Memorandum submitted by Ray Neal

 

 

I must write to point out that I believe the current laws to protect home educated children are quite sufficient."

 

It seems to me that the current proposals include measures which include the right of state officials to enter private property and interview children without any adult present. They will even be denied the right to have a lawyer present at such interviews.

 

I would like to point out that it is contrary to English natural justice to allow children to be interviewed alone by strangers.

The Badman Review proposes disproportionate intervention for a problem which has not been proven to even exist.

The proposals work from the presumption that home educated children are somehow in harm's way, whereas the facts show that such children are not at any more risk of harm, nor in need of child protection, than any other children in this country.

 

October 2009