OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
GOV.UK — Home education
- What it is
- The official England starting page on educating a child at home.
- Why it may be useful
- Plain overview of responsibilities and the basic process, with links onward.
- Who it’s for
- Families in England.
Even the Dog has ADHD
A UK signposting guide
for neurodivergent families
TheHomeEducationCrossroads
A starting point for families exploring home education, flexi-schooling or a different educational setting.
Research first.
Decide when you're ready.
Fill in your answers here, then download a PDF containing your saved responses.
01 — Overwhelm
Where do I
even start?
That was the question Natalie started with too. When her son’s school experience became difficult, she began researching home education online and joined a local Facebook group to speak with people already doing it.
- 01Google.
- 02People with lived experience.
- 03Local groups.
- 04Questions.
- 05Research.
You don’t need every answer before you start.
02 — Orientation
There is more than one route.
None of these is the right answer. They are simply the directions that exist. Open one, read it, close it, open another. Nothing here is ranked and nothing is scored.
Route / 06 — expanded
Not knowing is an option too.
You can research before you decide.
Go to the life audit →05 — Where you are
Where are you in the UK?
Four nations, four legal systems. Rules and processes differ across the UK — read your own nation’s guidance rather than a general UK summary.
Legislation watch
What’s changed?
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 has been widely discussed in connection with children not in school, home education and local authority duties. How it applies, and when, is not the same everywhere — application and implementation can differ by jurisdiction.
What is law
Provisions in force. Check the official text and the commencement position for your nation.
What is being implemented
In force but phased. Timetables and local readiness vary.
What is guidance
Statutory or non-statutory guidance sitting on top of the law — and it can be revised.
What is consultation
Proposals only. EOTAS reform in England, for example, has been consulted on. A consultation is not a rule.
Last checked: September 2026
05 — Clarity
These aren’t all the same thing.
Five terms that get used interchangeably and mean different things. No best option, no score — just what each one is, and who is responsible.
What it means
The family takes on responsibility for providing a suitable education.
Who is responsible
The parents.
Where education happens
Wherever the family arranges — home, groups, tutors, online, out in the world.
What to check
Your nation's guidance, your local authority's process, and any statutory plan.
Flexi-schooling
It is an agreement, not a right.
Flexi-schooling is an arrangement between a family and a school. The child remains on roll, and the headteacher decides. It is not the same as elective home education.
Local authority guidance differs from place to place. Where you read about one council’s practice, treat it as that council’s practice — not a national rule. Get what has been agreed in writing, including how attendance is recorded.
EHCPs
What about an EHCP?
- An EHCP is a legal document in England describing a child’s needs, the provision to meet them, and where that should happen.
- An EHCP is not the same as EOTAS. EOTAS is provision arranged by the local authority where attending a school would be inappropriate for that child.
- Home educating does not automatically remove a plan, and having a plan does not automatically grant any particular arrangement.
- Individual circumstances matter a great deal here. Check your own child’s position with your local authority and an independent advice service.
Last checked: September 2026 · Always check your current local authority guidance.
04 — Reality check
Before you decide, look at the whole picture.
Practical feasibility, finances, circumstances, emotional and family support, transport, work — and what is actually doable for your family. Turn each panel over and write what is true for you.
Fill in your answers here and then download your saved answers to the PDF.
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My family picture — 0 of 8 noted
06 — Support
Who is around you?
Name the people and places that already exist around your family. A network is easier to see once it is drawn.
My support
Select or add people and your network appears here.
07 — Trusted information
Start here.
Official guidance, established charities, advocacy organisations and parent support. Each one is labelled so you can see what kind of source it is — they do not all carry the same authority.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
Scottish Government — Home education guidance
- What it is
- Statutory guidance for home education in Scotland, updated January 2025.
- Why it may be useful
- The primary official reference for Scotland; the rules differ from England.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Scotland.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
Welsh Government — Elective home education
- What it is
- Wales-specific guidance on home educating and local authority involvement.
- Why it may be useful
- Wales has its own guidance and its own ALN system.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Wales.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
nidirect — Home education
- What it is
- The official Northern Ireland page on home education.
- Why it may be useful
- Northern Ireland's processes are separate; start from the official source.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Northern Ireland.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
GOV.UK — SEN and disabilities
- What it is
- Overview of SEN support, EHC needs assessments and EHC plans in England.
- Why it may be useful
- Useful before any conversation about assessment, plans or placement.
- Who it’s for
- Parents navigating SEND in England.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
Education Authority NI — SEN
- What it is
- Northern Ireland's SEN framework and processes.
- Why it may be useful
- The correct source for statements and NI SEN procedure.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Northern Ireland.
CHARITY
ADHD UK
- What it is
- A UK charity providing ADHD information, support and advocacy.
- Why it may be useful
- Clear information on diagnosis pathways, support and rights.
- Who it’s for
- Adults and parents seeking ADHD information.
CHARITY
ADHD Foundation
- What it is
- Neurodiversity charity working with families, schools and health services.
- Why it may be useful
- Education-facing resources that can help frame school conversations.
- Who it’s for
- Parents and schools.
CHARITY
National Autistic Society
- What it is
- The UK's largest autism charity, with detailed education guidance.
- Why it may be useful
- Practical advice on school, exclusions, EHCPs and alternatives.
- Who it’s for
- Autistic people and their families.
ADVOCACY
Ambitious about Autism
- What it is
- Charity focused on autistic children and young people, including education.
- Why it may be useful
- Advocacy toolkits and guidance for challenging decisions.
- Who it’s for
- Parents and young people.
CHARITY
Scottish Autism
- What it is
- Autism charity and advice line serving Scotland.
- Why it may be useful
- Scotland-specific support and education information.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Scotland.
ADVOCACY
IPSEA
- What it is
- Independent Provider of Special Education Advice — free legally based advice.
- Why it may be useful
- Where to turn when a decision needs challenging in England.
- Who it’s for
- Parents of children with SEND in England.
PARENT SUPPORT
SENDIASS — find your local service
- What it is
- Free, impartial local information, advice and support on SEND.
- Why it may be useful
- Local, free, and used to explaining the process in your own area.
- Who it’s for
- Parents and young people in England.
PARENT SUPPORT
Enquire
- What it is
- Scotland's national advice service for additional support for learning.
- Why it may be useful
- Scotland's equivalent starting point for advice.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Scotland.
ADVOCACY
SNAP Cymru
- What it is
- Wales-wide information, advice and advocacy on additional learning needs.
- Why it may be useful
- Wales-specific help with the ALN system.
- Who it’s for
- Families in Wales.
CHARITY
Contact
- What it is
- Charity for families with disabled children — education, benefits, workshops.
- Why it may be useful
- Broad practical support including the financial side of a change.
- Who it’s for
- Families with disabled children, UK-wide.
CHARITY
Council for Disabled Children
- What it is
- Umbrella body producing guidance and directories of local services.
- Why it may be useful
- Good route to find your local parent-carer forum or advice service.
- Who it’s for
- Parents and practitioners.
COMMUNITY
Education Otherwise
- What it is
- Long-standing UK home education support organisation.
- Why it may be useful
- Peer support and practical experience from home-educating families.
- Who it’s for
- Families considering or already home educating.
CHARITY
Autistica
- What it is
- UK autism research charity with plain-language explainers.
- Why it may be useful
- Evidence-based reading when both ADHD and autism feel relevant.
- Who it’s for
- Anyone wanting non-sensational, research-based information.
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE
Find your local council
- What it is
- Look up your local authority and its published education pages.
- Why it may be useful
- Local procedure matters as much as national guidance.
- Who it’s for
- Everyone in England, Scotland and Wales.
ADHD
Filter the library by ADHD for UK charities and information services. Save anything useful to your starting point.
Autism
Autism organisations with detailed education guidance, including exclusions, placements and adjustments.
When both feel relevant
AuDHD is commonly used to describe co-occurring ADHD and autism. Nothing here can tell you whether that describes you or your child — these are reading resources, not an assessment.
08 — Advocacy toolkit
You don’t have to walk into the conversation empty-handed.
01
Questions to ask
What do you need answered before the next step feels possible?
- What support is currently written down for my child?
- Who reviews it, and when?
- What has been tried, and what changed?
- What would need to happen for this to be different?
02
Things to record
Dates, names, what was said. Records make later conversations easier.
- Date and who was present
- What was agreed, in their words
- What was declined, and the reason given
- What happens next, and by when
03
Who to contact
Names, roles, emails. One place to keep them.
- Class teacher / head of year
- SENCO or ALNCo
- Local authority caseworker
- Advice service
04
What has already been tried
A simple history is often the most persuasive thing you bring.
- Adjustment tried
- How long for
- What happened
- Who observed it
05
What your child needs
In your words, not in professional language.
- What makes a good day a good day
- What reliably makes things harder
- What helps them recover
- What they have said themselves
06
What you want clarified
The things you keep being told in different ways.
- Something I've had different answers on
- A decision I don't understand
- A timescale I need confirmed
Conversation starter
What do I actually say?
Edit these however you like. Calm, specific and collaborative tends to work better than anything sharper.
If asking for help feels harder than it should…
Some parents find these conversations carry a weight that is hard to explain: anticipating rejection before it happens, worrying about being judged, avoiding the phone call, feeling flattened by uncertainty, replaying what was said for days afterwards.
That experience is real and common. Nothing here is a diagnosis, and rejection sensitivity is not an established standalone medical diagnosis — but naming the feeling can make the next step smaller.
- 01Write down what you want to say before you say it.
- 02Take someone with you if that is possible.
- 03Use email when that helps you communicate more clearly.
- 04Keep a record of conversations — dates, names, what was agreed.
- 05Give yourself time to process afterwards. You do not have to reply immediately.
09 — Permission
Everything is an option.
And timing matters.
You can try something.
You can change your mind.
Options are rarely permanent. Families can research, consider, try where it is feasible, review and reassess. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to choose one route over another.
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