Proposed changes to education law could impact families in Dorset who currently educate their children at home.
A report to Dorset Council’s People and Health Scrutiny Committee says there are currently 978 children in the county being educated outside the school system.
The figure has risen each year since 2022, with mental health now the most common reason families give for choosing home education.
However, proposed legislation moving through the House of Lords could change how home education is regulated.
The Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill is expected to introduce a compulsory register for all children not in school and require parents to provide details of their child’s education to local authorities.
In some cases, councils may also need to give consent for home education arrangements.
The report also highlights 58 children currently classed as Children Missing Education – meaning they are not registered at a school and not known to be receiving suitable education elsewhere.
Since September 2025, 93 children have been identified as missing education in Dorset, with most placed into suitable education within seven weeks.
Council officers say the proposed changes could increase demands on already stretched services if more monitoring and support is required.
Despite this, Dorset continues to record lower than average rates of home education and children missing education compared with national figures.
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