This for all the parents out there in Western Australia who are considering homeschooling their children. This is my experience of registering my daughter to be homeschooled.

I had no clue where to start when I began considering homeschooling back when my daughter hadn't even attended kindy! So after

years of reading, researching, talking to locals who homeschool, I finally got the courage to take a positive step forward in my daughters education. I did already know that living in WA it is compulsory to register as a home educator if your child is of school age. After looking on the internet for information (the website is below) I found that I had to contact my local Education Department to get registration forms. I called up and everyone was very helpful. They ask for some simple information; like your childs date of birth, address, if and where they are attending school, if there are any family court orders in place, and who will be the main Home Educator for the said child. After answering those simple questions they took down my details and said they would send out the registration forms.

The forms arrived in the mail about a week later. The package included an introductory letter, information about registration and adminstration, and a registration form. They also included a list of book sellers in Western Australia and an invitation to join the local homeschooling support group. I was amazed to find out that over 100 families home educate their children in my district alone. It was also reassuring to know that there was a support group in place to share our experience with and to be able to join them in their fortnightly social gatherings.

Filling out the registration form was quick and easy. After getting a photocopy of my daughters birth certificate I mailed it off to the Education Department. It was as simple as that. About two weeks later I received a copy of the 'Curriculum Framework' (it is a rough guide of where they should be in their education and at what age) and  a certificate declaring that I was now my daughters Home Educator. It was effective immediately. So I called her school and talked to her teacher and principal to make them aware that my daughter would be leaving to be homeschooled. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be as the Education Department had already sent a letter to the school making them aware of the situation.

So now I am registered to homeschool my daughter, but there is one more factor of registering to homeschool your child. Just because you are teaching your child at home doesn't mean that the Education Department relinquishes all responsibilty of your childs education. You will be called upon by the local Home Education Moderator who will evaluate your progress. They generally like to catch up with you within the first three months of registration (my first visit was about 8 weeks after registration) just so that they can get to know you and find out how you intend to teach your child at home. I found our local Moderator to be very helpful. But after the first 'get to know you' visit; evaluations are usually every twelve months, unless they have concerns about your childs progress. (The Home Education Moderator is required to give you 21 days notice before an evaluation so don't go stressing that they can show up at any time.) At no time can they force your child to go back into the sysytem unless there is serious evidence of your childs lack of education or progress. But from what I have heard and read it rarely happens.

I believe that homeschooling my daughter is the right thing for her. I will write on our progress in another article, but I just thought it would be good for other parents out there to see how uncomplicated it is to register in WA. I hope my experience has been of some help.

www.det.wa.edu.au