Advocacy

As WA’s peak body for home education, HEWA has always gone to bat for the rights of home educators. We’re not ones to toot our own horn but many of the freedoms and rights that home educators in WA enjoy have come about due to our tireless advocacy.

Often changes to home education policy happen quietly. The last time the Home Education Policy was changed, clarification was needed on certain points. HEWA engaged the services of a lawyer to establish what the requirements were in plain language for the benefit of the whole home education community.

HEWA meets regularly with the Education Department and the Commissioner for Children & Young People to ensure that the needs of home-educating families are recognised.

At the height of the Covid upheaval in 2020, the pervading opinion was that home educating families were not being adversely affected. We conducted an extensive survey to assess and evidence the impact of Covid on our community. Unsurprisingly, the opposite was found to be the case. This information was made available to the Education Department, Commissioner, moderators and other key organisations.

These and many other examples demonstrate HEWA’s ongoing commitment to the rights and welfare of the home educating community.