A growing trend in education is sparking concern: Mental health issues are now the primary reason children are homeschooled. This shift has raised questions about the state of our education system and the support available for students.
According to recent data, the number of homeschooled children has increased significantly. In the 2024-25 school year, 175,900 children were homeschooled, a notable rise from the previous year's 153,300. But here's where it gets intriguing: during the autumn term of 2025, mental health concerns were the reason for one in six (16%) of these homeschooling cases.
And this is the part most people miss: many of these children have special educational needs and disabilities (Send). In fact, 16% of homeschooled children in autumn 2025 required Send support, and 7% had an education, health, and care plan (EHCP).
The trend is not consistent throughout the year, though. The number of homeschooled pupils increased from autumn 2024 to autumn 2025 but decreased from summer 2025. The Department for Education (DfE) attributed this decrease to some homeschooled children securing their preferred school placements in the autumn.
But the issue goes beyond homeschooling. An estimated 143,500 children were entirely absent from education at some point during 2024-25, a figure that has raised alarms. Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, labeled this situation a 'scandal', emphasizing the urgency of addressing this educational crisis.
The Children's Commissioner's 2024 estimate further highlights the problem: a quarter of children leaving school for homeschooling had Send. This suggests that the education system might be failing to cater to the needs of these students, potentially leading to their departure from traditional schooling.
Interestingly, the government's response to this situation is a proposed bill that would introduce stricter regulations on homeschooling. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill aims to ensure parents seek local authority consent for homeschooling in specific circumstances.
But this raises a controversial question: is homeschooling the problem, or is it a symptom of deeper issues within the education system? Should the focus be on regulating homeschooling, or should efforts be directed towards improving mental health support and special needs accommodations in schools? The debate is open, and your thoughts are welcome!
