A REPORT calling for home-educated children to be registered has to be backed or another child may die in Pembrokeshire, members of a county council education committee heard on Thursday.

Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s schools and learning overview and scrutiny committee, at an extraordinary meeting, considered a report from the CYSUR Mid and West Wales Safeguarding Children Board.

The report, recommended a letter be sent to the Welsh Government asking for changes in home education legislation, including a requirement for annual registration of home-educated children with the local authority, and that all such children are seen and spoken to.

The report, by Gladys Rhodes White, follows the death of ‘invisible’ Eglwyswrw child Dylan Seabridge, who died at home in December 2011.

An inquest heard that his parents did not seek medical assistance, despite him suffering symptoms relating to scurvy.

Dylan’s parents Glynn and Julie Seabridge denied any wrongdoing following his death, stating they did not believe he had scurvy and thought he was suffering from growing pains.

They were jointly charged with neglect, but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges before the case could go to trial in 2014.

At last Thursday’s PCC meeting, chairman Cllr John Davies stressed there was a need for registration and visits: “Unless it is dealt with by further stringent guidance another child could be lost in Wales under similar circumstances, some would suggest. Here we have children potentially invisible, lost to the system.

“The statutory bodies involved did do what they were able to do; the fact remains, unless the guidance changes another child could well die under these circumstances.

“Had there been visual contact, had the voice of the child been heard directly, it could’ve been a different world for that child.

“Children should have the same rights as animals; it seems to me if these were the circumstances surrounding an animal it would’ve been very different.”

He stressed he had “no problem” with home education, but there was a need to hear “the voice of the child,” adding: “To me, the voice and rights of the child override the voice and rights of the parent.”

His concerns were echoed by Cllr Mike James, who said: “We are living in the 21st century; for something like this to happen is woefully sad.”

However, Councillor Viv Stoddart stressed there was a need to avoid demonising home education, often undertaken for a variety of reasons, including bullying in schools.

Members agreed unanimously to a letter, supporting the proposals, being sent.

Speaking to the Western Telegraph in July 2016, report author Gladys Rhodes White stressed: “Most children home educated are all safe and doing okay, but for a very small minority we don’t know about it’s very concerning and worrying.

“It’s a fine balance between legislation - inclusive and restrictive - and ensuring the children are safe.

“The lesson to be learned is children being visible and having a voice in their own right, they need to be ‘captured’ [by the system].”

Ms Rhodes White added: “Wouldn’t it be a positive move to say all children home-educated have a right to be seen and have their views ‘captured’, not because anything’s wrong but because it’s the right thing to do for children and young people. For the very small number there is an opportunity for people to know about the child’s concerns and for the child to tell someone.”