New Bill to Introduce Register for Children Not in School in England

A new measure aimed at safeguarding children in England will see the introduction of a register to track children who are not enrolled in school. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, set to be presented to Parliament Today, seeks to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education while enabling local authorities to provide necessary support where required.

According to the Department for Education, the register will help councils identify children who are not in formal education, ensuring that no child “slips through the cracks.” Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the bill as a “seminal moment for child protection” and emphasized the government’s commitment to putting children first.

A key part of the bill will be the introduction of a unique identifier number for children, similar to the national insurance number used for adults. This system will enable better tracking of children across services, making it easier for local authorities to intervene if a child’s home environment is deemed unsafe or unsuitable.

The proposed legislation will also grant local authorities the power to prevent parents from home-educating their children if the child is under a child protection plan. Parents would need permission from their local council to withdraw their child from school in such cases.

This reform follows a tragic case involving 10-year-old Sara Sarif, who was removed from school to be home-educated by her father and stepmother just four months before her death. Her case has highlighted the potential risks of unmonitored home education.

Protecting Vulnerable Children

The Labour government says the bill will ensure that schools and teachers are central to decisions regarding child safeguarding. Local authorities will be empowered to step in if they believe a child’s safety or wellbeing is at risk.

These changes come amid growing concerns about the number of children being home-educated in England. Government data indicates a 20% rise in home education this year, and the Education Policy Institute estimates that up to 300,000 children may be entirely missing from the education system.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, a long-time advocate for child protection reforms, welcomed the bill, describing it as a “landmark measure.”

“I have called on successive governments to introduce a unique identifying number for children and a register of all children not in school,” she said. “Writing these two landmark measures into law will be of huge significance for any child currently at risk of harm in this country. It must now be supported by proper data-sharing between organisations so no child can become invisible in the system.”  

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is expected to come into force by 2025, marking a significant shift in how child protection and education oversight are managed in England.