| HEN Ireland August 2007 Home - About us - Contact us - Learn about HE |
| About Us HEN Ireland |
How it all started...
At a meeting of home educating families held on the 10th October 1998 in Greystones, Co.
Wicklow, it was agreed to establish a "Home Education Network" (HEN).The following people
agreed to take an active part in the Network: Barbara Boland, Michael Duggan, Joe Dunne,
Carol Jordan, Nora Leahy, Andrew Lloyd, Heather and Jack McClintock, Christine Moore,
Maeliosa O'Leary, Margaret and Vaughan Quaid, Michael Rice and Celine Spengeman. We
subsequently had many further meetings to determine the Network's remit, role and
relationship with the families that constitute it.
The first concerted action of HEN was to discuss the proposed new School Attendance Act
(1998). We felt that the interests and rights of home educators were unlikely to be explicitly
addressed in the new act. It was agreed that a letter would be drafted to the Minister of
Education in those days, Micheal Martin with a copy to Brian Felon, Executive Officer with the
home education brief at the Department in Athlone, saying:
These letters were sent out on 12th October 1998.
At a meeting of home educating families held on the 10th October 1998 in Greystones, Co.
Wicklow, it was agreed to establish a "Home Education Network" (HEN).The following people
agreed to take an active part in the Network: Barbara Boland, Michael Duggan, Joe Dunne,
Carol Jordan, Nora Leahy, Andrew Lloyd, Heather and Jack McClintock, Christine Moore,
Maeliosa O'Leary, Margaret and Vaughan Quaid, Michael Rice and Celine Spengeman. We
subsequently had many further meetings to determine the Network's remit, role and
relationship with the families that constitute it.
The first concerted action of HEN was to discuss the proposed new School Attendance Act
(1998). We felt that the interests and rights of home educators were unlikely to be explicitly
addressed in the new act. It was agreed that a letter would be drafted to the Minister of
Education in those days, Micheal Martin with a copy to Brian Felon, Executive Officer with the
home education brief at the Department in Athlone, saying:
 | "In line with the family's constitutional right to educate their children at home, the | |
| revised School Attendance Act (1998) should contain a clause stating that children who are being educated at home do not come under said Act". | ||
| "We proposed that the School Attendance Act (1998) should also provide for persons | |
| who have initially opted for the school system and who subsequently exercise their right to educate in the home". | ||
| "Sufficient provision for the exercise of this right could take the form of a written | |
| notification to the school principal of this intention". |
These letters were sent out on 12th October 1998.
Would you like to know more?
Check out the summary of our history with the Department of Education.
We have put together information about legal issues in Home Education in Ireland
Check out the summary of our history with the Department of Education.
We have put together information about legal issues in Home Education in Ireland
HEN Ireland evolved as a support, information and lobby group form an informal network of
parents who had taken the decision to educate their children at home. The aims and objectives
of the organisation are:
parents who had taken the decision to educate their children at home. The aims and objectives
of the organisation are:
| To support parental choice in deciding the most appropriate form of education | |
| for each child. | ||
| To raise awareness of the fact that educating children at home is a viable and | |
| legal option. | ||
| To help utilise available resources and develop educational techniques | |
| suitable for each child's needs. | ||
| To provide a means for the interchange of ideas and experiences among home | |
| educators through regular social gatherings, newsletters and our website. |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
In addition to these positions above there are nine Regional coordinators who organise events
in each region and keep in contact with local members as well as being the local ear for those
interested in Home Education. See their details on the Contact Us page.
An e-mail list distribution managed by Denis Shields is set up to let members know of news
and activities going on. If you have anything to pass around, please, send him an e-mail
Every quarter, Andrew Lloyd (and team) puts together the Newsletter where HEN affairs, HE
articles and materials are published, mainly sent by other people or members.
There is a member's Contact List given to each of our members when they join HEN Ireland
with the contact details of those members who voluntarily consent to be there.
If you are interested to learn about the Mentoning project, click here.
Kim Pierce and Nick Gudge have set up a Home Education Library and they offer the possibility
of borrowing books to HEN members in Ireland.
There is a discussion forum at Home Education Ireland Yahoo! Groups All you need is a
Yahoo! ID
in each region and keep in contact with local members as well as being the local ear for those
interested in Home Education. See their details on the Contact Us page.
An e-mail list distribution managed by Denis Shields is set up to let members know of news
and activities going on. If you have anything to pass around, please, send him an e-mail
Every quarter, Andrew Lloyd (and team) puts together the Newsletter where HEN affairs, HE
articles and materials are published, mainly sent by other people or members.
There is a member's Contact List given to each of our members when they join HEN Ireland
with the contact details of those members who voluntarily consent to be there.
If you are interested to learn about the Mentoning project, click here.
Kim Pierce and Nick Gudge have set up a Home Education Library and they offer the possibility
of borrowing books to HEN members in Ireland.
There is a discussion forum at Home Education Ireland Yahoo! Groups All you need is a
Yahoo! ID
Chairman.................................. Denis Shields
Conference Organiser.......... Susan Kellegher
Contact Officer....................... Kim Pierce
Mediation Officer................... Thomas Reidmuller
Membership Officer............. Jenny Trethyn
NEWB Liaison Officers......... Shane Barret & Eddie O'Neill
Newsletter Editor................... Andrew Lloyd
PR Officer.................................Tracy Culleton
Secretary................................. Emily Rainsford
Treasurer................................ Faith Reilly
Conference Organiser.......... Susan Kellegher
Contact Officer....................... Kim Pierce
Mediation Officer................... Thomas Reidmuller
Membership Officer............. Jenny Trethyn
NEWB Liaison Officers......... Shane Barret & Eddie O'Neill
Newsletter Editor................... Andrew Lloyd
PR Officer.................................Tracy Culleton
Secretary................................. Emily Rainsford
Treasurer................................ Faith Reilly
OFFICERS 2007-2008
The election of the officers 2007-2008 took place on the 1st of July 2007 at the Annual
Conference. A National Coordinating Body was set up, where the following roles were
filled by a voting system:
The election of the officers 2007-2008 took place on the 1st of July 2007 at the Annual
Conference. A National Coordinating Body was set up, where the following roles were
filled by a voting system:
Who is who in HEN Ireland
HEN, like any volunteer organisation, depends on lots of people adding their shoulder to the
wheel. The work that needs doing is divided up as far as possible so no one bears too much of
the strain. We do need people to some of the jobs. If you can spare a few hours a month to help
Home Education in Ireland, please let us know. Thank you.
HEN, like any volunteer organisation, depends on lots of people adding their shoulder to the
wheel. The work that needs doing is divided up as far as possible so no one bears too much of
the strain. We do need people to some of the jobs. If you can spare a few hours a month to help
Home Education in Ireland, please let us know. Thank you.