Campaign to educateout-of-school children

Last week’s page one story told how Nicola Forsythe had been threatened with prison after taking her son Noel Belshaw out of Brownlow College due to allegations of bullying.

Karen Lavery contacted the paper to get in order to get in touch with Nicola and inform her of the Elluminate online learning system aimed at children currently out of school to enable them to receive state-funded full time education for as long as they need it.

Karen and other parents have set up a campaign to have the programme offered to children in Northern Ireland.

She said: “Online education for children is a matter of course in many, many other countries.

“But it is being blocked - mainly due to miscommunication between boards and unions, red tape, teacher reluctance, fear of the unknown, etc.

“It is appalling that families such as the one in your article are threatened and pressured to put vulnerable and traumatised children into impossible situations. Moreover parents are not being told that this lifeline exists. It is unbelievable.”

Thanks to the ‘MAIL’ Nicola and Karen got in contact. Nicola said their chat was very productive and she thinks the Elluminate system is something the all parents should be informed about.

For more information on the campaign go to www.facebook.com/elluminate.ourlives