Elective home education - Find a freedom of information request

STAFF NUMBERS

At the end of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years, tell me for each year:

1a. The total number of staff (directly employed or contracted) who were dedicated to dealing with elective home education?

1b. Of those, how many were full-time equivalent?

1c. Of those, how many were part-time equivalent?

INSPECTIONS

At the end of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years, tell me for each year:

2a. The total number of home inspections carried out?

2b. In how many of those inspections did the assessor see or interact with the child in question? If known/ recorded.

2c. In how many of those inspections did a parent/guardian refuse to let the inspector see the child in question? If known/recorded.

3. For the total number of children known to be EHE at any point during the 2023/24 academic year only, can you indicate how long it has been since their last recorded home inspection using the headings below?

(Please provide the total number of children you're referring to in your answer and the total number of children you've excluded from this answer for reasons such as, they're not yet due an inspection, for example)

Time in calendar years:

Less than 12 months

1 - 2 years

2 - 3 years

3 - 4 years

5 - 6 years

6 - 7 years

7 - 8 years

8 - 9 years

9 - 10 years

10 - 11 years

11 - 12 years

12 - 13 years

13 years +

*If you cannot answer for the 2023/24 academic year, please provide an answer for the 2022/23 academic year, if known/recorded

INVESTIGATIONS

At the end of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years, tell me for each year:

4a. How many investigations were carried out where the LA felt there were child protection concerns?

4b. What was the outcome of those investigations?

Please provide a breakdown At the end of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years, tell me for each year:

5a. How many Section 437(1) Notices were issued?

5b. How many School Attendance Orders were issued?

5c. What was the outcome of those School Attendance Orders?

Please provide a breakdown, including those revoked

5d. What was the total financial cost to the local authority of issuing those school attendance orders in each academic year?

*Please note, I'm aware part of the information being requested in Q5 is available via the DfE but not all of it is publicly available

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

STAFF NUMBERS

1a. 14

b. 2

c. 12

INSPECTIONS

2a. LCC do not have a legal right to do home inspections, submissions are requested.

b,c. See above

3. See response to question 2a.

INVESTIGATIONS

4a-b. See response to question 2a

5a. 2022/23 - 150

      2023/24 –171

b. 5 2023/24 – 15

5c. 5 SAO cases prosecuted for 23/24 academic year

3 SAO cases withdrawn and not prosecuted against during 23/24 academic year

7 SAO cases still waiting to be prosecuted for academic year 23/24

d. LCC do not have a specific breakdown of costs in relation to SAO as this is presented in a total legal attendance cost plus staffing costs for staff who cover a range of duties