Thursday, 31 July 2025

 David LIMBRICK (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:21): (1797) My adjournment matter this evening is for attention of the Minister for Education. Homeschoolers in Victoria are getting a raw deal. Homeschooling can be a great option for all kinds of families. Many countries experienced a surge of interest after COVID, and Victoria is no different. There is no single reason for this. Some families got a taste of home education and figured out that really works for their family; others are navigating the challenges of school refusal or complex health and mental health challenges. Whatever the reason, families should be supported to tailor the education experience of their children to ensure the best outcome, and for a growing number of families this means home education.

There are some things that Victoria does quite well in this space, but one area where homeschooling families are let down compared to other states is where it comes to student ID cards. Students participating in home education should not be disadvantaged or made to feel like second-class citizens. In Queensland and South Australia the regulator that registers homeschoolers also provides an official student ID card, which allows the same opportunities for them that a student at a public or private school receives. It is a small change, but it would make a real difference to these families. Therefore my request of the minister is to work with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority to provide student ID cards for registered homeschooling students in Victoria.