Questions about registration...

[Nirvana]

Have just been reading a little about it and gee whizz it looks fun :blueroll

Can anyone answer the following for me?

If you register your child, by providing the information they require, is there any great chance they will deny you registration because they disliked something in your application? Or if there's a 'problem' in their eyes, do they assist you to fix it?

The progress reports you need to send them annually, what do these entail? Do they physically come and check up or is it more like a report card for their benefit?

If you don't register, your child is not legally being schooled right? So if it is found out can they force you to send your child to school? Or if it's found out are you given the option to register?

Thank you! All a bit :bah

[Ceres]

The process varies a bit state to state so it's worth checking up what's required where you live. It's unlikely that your application would be denied but it's likely that they'd only give you a short period of time before they come back and check up on you again.

[punkmumma]

If you register your child, by providing the information they require, is there any great chance they will deny you registration because they disliked something in your application? Or if there's a 'problem' in their eyes, do they assist you to fix it?

The progress reports you need to send them annually, what do these entail? Do they physically come and check up or is it more like a report card for their benefit?

If you don't register, your child is not legally being schooled right? So if it is found out can they force you to send your child to school?

If you are talking about the Home Education Unit in queensland they use to be difficult to register with a few years ago as they didnt understand fully about home education. However things have changed and it is now realised that it is a option for many people to homeschool and they are actually helping or assisting families with this process.

If you are in queensland and I noticed one of your posts mentioned sunshine coast no in qld they do not check up on you in your home at all. I would call them up and talk to the staff however if you are not going to homeschool for a while then I would do it a few months before you start as rules and regualations change all the time.

Also they do assist you to fix it most people are not denied in fact depending on what you do it is possible to meet with the staff to go over your application before or after just to be sure. They wont do it for you.

In qld reports/ student progress is sent in every 10 months with sample work.

If you register then you may be entitled government tax breaks and if you are single and need assistance from centrelink then this helps also. Not everyone registers and it is your personal choice.

If you are not legally registered and are schooling they give you a fine in qld initially then they ask you to either go to school or to legally register I think it is around $75.

There are some options avaliable for being registered in qld it depends on where things really sit with you and your style of learning. and I have mentioned if you are choosing to not be registered I would suggest only mentioning to the people you trust as neighbours can get really nosey and cause issues.

A suggestion when you are dealing with HEU I would keep a journal/diary of conversations and people you have spoken to as I mentioned things change all the time. The summary or progress report you send to the HEU is not about them checking up on you at the moment it is more about for paperwork ensuring you are actually educating your child.

This is to provide information for when your child maybe enters school if that is what you choose at a later stage or as a portfolio for further education for entering into tafe or university.

I would check out the laws yourself in regards to the matter better to be informed yourself than relying on other people to pass on information that can be outdated at times. That way you are making a decsion yourself as to what you do and no other influence other than facts.

hope this helps a little

[Nirvana]

Thanks punkmumma, hugely helpful :) Yep, we're in Qld.

I want to be able to be very honest and open about what we're doing so think it may be good for us to register when the time comes. We will be using a curriculum (though not strictly) and I have lots of teacher friends who can help me put together an official version of it to please the government ;)

I have read about it but will do more reading as the time gets closer to make sure we're all set. The education rebate would also be great to help towards the cost of materials, books, computer and programs etc :)

[punkmumma]

Also depends on your syle of learning they accept unschooling/natural learning as a education philosophy at HEU and there are many ways you are able to do this with your younger children when they start out. As long as the rules dont change which can happen with a change of state government or federal.

I just hope they dont make it harder and that things improve a little bit with flexibility or understanding they are nicer now at HEU staff more cluey. There are many ways for you to homeschool and not even to buy a text book at all.

Are you part of a attachment parenting or some type of supoort group who are going to homeschool or looking at homeschooling in the near future. I have heard many people doing things like that and that way you will be going through all this with face to face people from the begining. A really nice support system is handy in homeschooling.

Glad I could help. Fingers crossed that things dont change for you when the time comes as far as homeschooling goes. :-)

[Nirvana]

I'm not part of any group yet, but am on the mailing list for homeschooling sunshine coast. I can't get to their meets yet as the day doesn't work for us but plan to start going next year so that we make contact with the people around who are doing it and my son gets to form some friendships with people who will be doing things a similar way :)

All shall be fine even if things do change. There is always a way ;)

[gecko]

what part of qld nirvana? I am in gympie and we have a weekly homeschool meet.

we have lots of families with young children that come - it is not all about just school age

[Nirvana]

We're Mountain Creek, so a little far from Gympie unfortunately :( I know there's another meet at Landsborough most weeks but it's Wednesdays and we can't get there that day at the moment. Will scout around more in a couple of months and make sure we get to something :)