Up to 2,000 children being educated at home

Home education is rapidly growing in popularity.

From 2004 to 2006, 225 children were officially registered with the National Education Welfare Board — which has now been subsumed into Tusla.

There are now up to 1,000 children registered. It is conservatively estimated there maybe up to 2,000 children educated at home who are not registered.

While refusing to comment on specific cases, the Educational Welfare Service said in a statement that under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, parents or guardians who wish to home-educate their children are legally obliged to submit an application to register their children with the Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency and comply with the registration process.

“The legislation exists to ensure that children receive ‘a certain minimum education’, to which they are entitled, where parents choose not to send their child to a school established by the State.

“Under the legislation, a parent is obliged to cause their child to attend a recognised school unless they apply to register the child as being educated in a place other than a recognised school, for example through home education. Parents who fail to comply with the legislation are liable to be prosecuted.”

The statement said custodial sentences in relation to non payment of fines are matters for the courts.

Trevor Mathews, a spokesperson for the Home Education Network said: “The members of the Home Education Network are shocked and saddened at the arrest and imprisonment of Monica O’Connor, who is a mother educating her children at home.

“Monica is regarded by all who know her as a loving and nurturing parent, who contributes selflessly not only to the home education fraternity but also to her local community.

“We regard this prosecution as an unwelcome and an unhelpful development.

“It is highly disproportionate under the circumstances in which they are prosecuted for not sending her children to school where she had an objection in principle to the State enrolling her children in a school without her consent.

“We call on the Government to enter a consultation process with home educators to create a win win solution for all.”