More research needs to be done to find out why more Powys parents are choosing to school their children at home, a meeting has heard.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Health and Care scrutiny committee on 30 July, councillors brought up the issue as part of a broader discussion on a report following an assurance review into children’s social services.

The review was commissioned by the council’s chief executive Emma Palmer and was carried out by Stephen Walker the director of relational children’s social work services at Leeds City Council.

Committee chairwoman, Cllr Amanda Jenner pointed out that a part of the report said that one of the “challenges” faced by Powys social workers since the Covid-19 pandemic is the increasing number of families who are home educating their children.

Cllr Jenner asked: “I wonder from what you have seen elsewhere and from your perspective why this poses a challenge to children’s services?”

Mr Walker said that that from a social work point of view it’s “not about” the right or wrong of children being educated at home, but whether children’s services are in a position to provide help if needed.

He said that in “some cases” the parents believe they are able to “better meet and understand” their child’s needs and provide that support.

Mr Walker said: “Sometimes parents don’t understand the effect of children not being around other children or seen in school.”

The figures for elective home educated children in Powys are monitored regularly in reports produced by the corporate safeguarding board.

Figures reported in June show that 409 children and young people are being home schooled in the county.

This figure has risen from June 2023 when the board would only say that the figure was “more than” 300.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic the figure was 154.