Khyra Ishaq - let her rest in peace

I spent much of this morning being denied the right by moderators to comment on this article
 and trying to do something to set the record straight about the "small number of extreme cases, where home-educated children had suffered harm because concerns were not picked up." that the Badman review supposedly found.
 You can't read my comment there (it has actually gone through now slightly edited), but you can read it here or a fuller version of some of the facts here

This evening, I came home to find my facebook page absolutely full of links to, and outrage about, the government and media responses to the Khrya Ishaq case.
I have not read them all. I have seen enough, and quite simply cannot read anymore.

Khyra Ishaq was not home educated.
Khyra Ishaq WAS removed from her school by her mother, but not formally deregistered, and was missing from school for a considerable amount of time. Her teachers were concerned about her. They tried to visit her themselves. They made her known to Social Services.
SOCIAL SERVICES FAILED TO PROTECT HER EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS KNOWN TO THEM.
Khyra Ishaq WAS known to Educational Welfare Officers.
THE LEA FAILED TO PROTECT HER EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS KNOWN TO THEM.
Khyra Ishaq's teachers made their concerns known to the police.
THE POLICE FAILED TO PROTECT HER EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS KNOWN TO THEM.
Khyra Ishaq's neighbours had concerns about her welfare which they failed to report.
HER NEIGHBOURS FAILED TO PROTECT HER.

KHYRA ISHAQ's MOTHER FAILED HER

Current Home Education legislation did NOT fail to protect her, so please ask yourselves why the government and the media are trying to convince you that this is the case. Why this man thinks that it is acceptable to use the horrific and tragically short life, and death, of this poor child, as a pawn in his political game...

Ed Balls says...

"The trial has demonstrated, and statements today from the police confirm, that home education was a factor in this case. It shows why we do need a system in place to make sure that when children are home educated or removed from school, they not only get a good education but are safe. That is why I asked Graham Badman to review home education and home educated children’s safety and welfare.

I am now taking forward Graham Badman’s recommendations that every local authority should have access to any home educating family and that all home educating parents must register with the local authority. We will do all we can to ensure the safety of children, in Birmingham and elsewhere, including using statutory powers where it is right to do so."

How was home education a factor in this case when for at least three months this child was not deregistered from school, but was missing from education, when teachers AT HER SCHOOL had reported their concerns to Social Services and the Police, when educational social workers made visits to the home? How could the proposed changes to home education legislation possibly have made any difference to this child who was already known to so many agencies?

The supposedly impartial and objective BBC has managed to come up with the most disgracefully unbalanced, insensitive and biased report possible on this case, read it here if you haven't already, and then complain, LOUDLY and clearly, like these people (and many more), here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. And if you are unsure how to complain - click here

Down, but not out....