Last updated by Stephanie Rosser on Tuesday, November 25, 2025

A new report has been published by the NSPCC (2025): Tipping point: tackling the challenges in safeguarding children educated at home.

The number of parents and carers in England educating their children at home has significantly increased over the last five years. Home education is not in itself a safeguarding risk but, local authorities may be less likely to have sight of children who are educated at home. 

Key findings from the report:

• Families are choosing to educate their children at home for different reasons
• Elective Home Education teams are under-resourced to meet the needs of the current cohort of home-educated children 
• The child’s voice is under-represented in local authority practice 
• Existing national guidance is seen as outdated and unfit for purpose