Why I Choose LA Home Visits (And Why That's Okay)

When I first started home educating March 2024, I didn't realise how many unwritten rules there were. Not rules from the government or the local authority but rules from within the home ed community itself. And one of the biggest? The idea that choosing to have LA home visits somehow makes you less of a "real" home educator.

I'm here to say: that's simply not true. And it needs to stop.

Why I Opted In

For us, having a home visit from our local authority felt like the right choice. It gives me peace of mind. It means someone with experience can look at what we're doing and offer reassurance that we're on the right track. As a home ed mum, I carry a lot of responsibility and having that annual check-in actually helps me feel more confident, not less.

It also means I keep organised records. I use home ed report folders (something I'm quite passionate about!) to document our learning journey, and the visits give me a natural point to reflect and review what we've covered.

The Judgement Is Real

What I didn't expect was the reaction from some other home educating parents. Comments like "you're making it harder for the rest of us" or "you're giving the LA too much power" started to creep in. And honestly? It stings.

The suggestion that my choice to cooperate with the local authority somehow tarnishes the reputation of home educators who don't. That's a lot of pressure to put on another parent who is simply doing what feels right for their family.

I experienced this first-hand when I posted about my home ed report folder. I created it to help me keep track of what we'd been up to, so that when the LA visited I could show them our journey in an organised way. I thought it was a positive thing to share. The response I got? "While it's great what you do, we hear a lot that the pressure you put on yourself to keep doing these kind of planners gets too much and after a few weeks it all goes out the window. It's absolutely not needed and should NEVER be used when corresponding with the LA." Nobody asked. Nobody needed to say that. It was rude, plain and simple.

And it's not just LA visits that trigger this kind of pile-on. Facebook groups can be particularly bad. The moment someone posts "I've just started home educating" they are immediately bombarded with comments like "DON'T LET THE LA IN, THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD." Before that new parent has even found their feet, they're being scared and pressured by people who have decided their way is the only way because they had a bad experience. It's overwhelming and it puts families off reaching out for support altogether.

Even the language isn't safe. Use the words "home schooling" instead of "home education" and you'll be corrected before you've finished your sentence. Yes, technically in the UK it's called home education. But jumping on a nervous new parent for using the wrong term helps nobody. Save the energy for something that actually matters.

And honestly? I find it far less exposing than sharing my Child's face on social media. A 15-minute LA visit where someone looks at their work feels a lot safer to me than a public Instagram post that anyone in the world can see. Think about it having the LA see your child's work is no different to sharing it on social media with thousands of strangers. At least with the LA, you know exactly who is looking and why. That's just my honest take.

And I'll be honest, I do share my child's work on social media myself. I created my website and social media pages to share ideas with the home ed community, and I stand by that. But here's what I find hard to swallow: those who are most vocal against LA home visits, the ones who act as the self-appointed home ed police, are often the very same people who are quite happy to plaster their children's faces and schoolwork all over social media for thousands of strangers to see. That doesn't give them the right to slander those of us who simply choose to have a 15-minute visit from the LA. You can't have it both ways.

Home Ed Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

That's the whole point, isn't it? We chose home education precisely because we wanted the freedom to do things our way. So why are we policing each other's choices?

Some families are fully autonomous. Some follow a structured curriculum. Some do LA visits, some don't. Some send annual report emails, some have face-to-face meetings. All of these are valid. All of these are legal. And none of them make you a better or worse home educator.

Let's Be Kinder to Each Other

If you've ever felt judged for your home ed choices, whether that's opting in to LA contact or anything else, please know you're not alone. And if you've ever been the one doing the judging, I'd gently ask you to consider the impact your words have on parents who are already doing their best in a world that doesn't always understand what we do.

We're all on the same team. Let's act like it.

Are you a home ed parent who has experienced judgement from within the community? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Sarah, Home Ed Mum Diary