Deborah Dunstone has been appointed as the independent reviewer to lead the Queensland Government’s review of the Home Education Unit.
The Home Education Expert Group is being established to advise the Government on changes to improve outcomes for home-schooled children.
The review will consider the diverse experiences and needs of home educating parents and provide recommendations on options to engage more broadly with home educators, enhance the effectiveness of regulation, and provide supports for home educating parents.
Ms Dunstone (pictured) is currently CEO of The Learner First and brings a wealth of experience in the education sector in Queensland, including as a former Regional Director and the inaugural Assistant Director-General of State Schools – Disability and Inclusion. She is also a recipient of an Australia Day Medal for her work in rural and remote Queensland.
“The purpose of this review is to better understand the experiences of home educators and their children in Queensland and the supports they need to enhance the effectiveness of regulation,” said Minister for Education, Di Farmer.
“The review will be directly informed by home schooling parents via the Home Education Expert Group.”
Ms Dunstone will undertake stakeholder consultation in the coming months and provide a final report in September 2024.
“I am looking forward to undertaking the Home Education Unit Review and meeting with a wide range of home educating parents to understand their diverse experiences,” said Mr Dunstone.
“This review is an opportunity to look at what support home educating families need and how the regulation of home education can better support families.”
The Home Education Expert Group is also in the process of being established, with 12 members to be drawn from the home education parenting community.
Expressions of Interest for the Group closed in the first week of June, and many parents took the opportunity to express interest in being involved.
When it is up and running, the Home Education Expert Group will provide a forum to share with and learn from the home educating parent community and better understand their experiences, the Government said in a statement.