Children who are home-schooled will be assigned unique tracking numbers under new legislation aimed at safeguarding youngsters, following the tragic case of Sara Sharif. The system is designed to help local councils monitor children who previously fell into 'blind spots' after being deregistered from school.
How the New System Will Work
Under the new measures, all home-educated children must be recorded on a register maintained by their local council, which will generate an identification number. This ID can then be used to track the child across education, health, and social care services, ensuring they do not 'fall through the cracks'.
The initiative is part of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act, which received parliamentary approval last week. Ministers acted swiftly after it emerged that home-schooling was used as a cover by the killers of 10-year-old Sara Sharif.
Previous Gaps in the System
Previously, parents were not required to register their child as home-educated and could simply withdraw them from school without notifying authorities. Children who were never enrolled in school would not appear on any register, leaving them unaccounted for.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasised the importance of the register, stating: 'Knowing where children are and how they are being educated — especially when that's outside the view of teachers, friends and other trusted adults — is the most basic safeguard. After a number of tragic cases in recent years, we know exactly what can happen when that basic line of sight is missing.'
Rising Numbers of Home-Schooled Children
Mrs Phillipson highlighted that the need for such a register has become more pressing due to the sharp increase in home-schooling. Department for Education (DfE) figures indicate that approximately 176,000 children were electively home-educated at some point during the 2024-25 academic year, an increase of 23,000 from the previous year.
She added: 'New laws passed this week to create registers and stop vulnerable children falling through the cracks are a major milestone and long overdue. Parents have a right to educate their children at home and many do a brilliant job, but the rise in the number choosing to do so makes registers all the more important.'
Additional Safeguards
The Government is also introducing extra checks for certain children before they can be removed from school for home education. This applies to those who are most vulnerable or have complex needs that may be difficult to meet at home.
Councils will have a legal duty to support home-educating families by strengthening relationships and ensuring children's needs are properly met. During the trial of Sara Sharif's father and stepmother, it was revealed that they had removed her from school for home-schooling several months before her death in August 2023.
A DfE spokesman said: 'Knowing where children are is a fundamental safeguard. The reforms close a longstanding blind spot by requiring parents to notify councils when they choose home education, enabling earlier support where needed.'
The department confirmed that data protection safeguards will be in place for families fleeing domestic abuse.
