The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, establishing new legal frameworks for child welfare, education, and social care in England and Wales.

 

This means that it is now an Act and not just a Bill.

 

However, it is not yet in force and the provisions relating to elective home education are unlikely to be so for quite some time as new regulations and consultation on new guidance are required.

 

Whilst this remains the case, the Elective Home Education Team at BELS continue to work within the 2019 Elective Home Education Guidance: Elective home education: departmental guidance for local authorities