Update from Education Registrar #4

Your personal information

Dear Home Education Community,

This week, I’m pleased to share with you some important documents outlining how we manage your personal information. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to transparency, safety, and respectful engagement with families.

In this edition, you’ll find our Personal Information Protection Statement, which is included on the home education application form. This statement outlines when and how we may share information, and what basic personal details may be disclosed.

We’ve also developed a new Personal Information Protection Policy (Home Education). This policy provides more detailed information about how and when the Office of the Education Registrar (OER) collects personal information related to the registration of a child for home education. 

We’ve also developed Guidelines that clarify the OER’s position on parental consent in the context of home education registration. These Guidelines also outline how the OER responds to requests for information from individuals who are not the registered home educator—for example, a parent who isn’t registered, doesn’t live with the child, or is separated or divorced from the registered home educator.

The final set of Guidelines included in this edition explains how and when legal names and preferred names are used for children and young people in documents and communications related to the home education registration process.

The OER is working hard to provide transparency around our processes, ensuring families feel informed, respected, and supported throughout the home education registration journey. These documents will be available on our new website which will be released shortly.

If you have any concerns about our processes or how we manage your personal information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at registrar@oer.tas.gov.au.

Warm regards to all

Jo Spencer
Manager (Home Education)

Personal Information Protection Statement

The following statement is located on the Home Education Application form.

The OER values your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. We adhere to the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 to ensure your information is secure in all our activities, both online and offline.

We will not use or share your personal information with other state institutions or authorities unless required or permitted by law.

When a home education registration for a child is approved, refused, completed, revoked, or withdrawn, basic personal information will be shared with the Department for Education, Children, and Young People, or other educational entities such as non-government schools. This includes the child's name, residential address, postal address, date of birth, gender, and school history.

Basic personal information about the registered home educator (the applicant) will also be shared, including name, residential address, postal address, contact numbers, and email address.

Personal Information Protection Policy Home Education

The OER manages personal information in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (the PIP Act).

This Policy provides detailed information about how and when the OER collects personal information related to the registration of a child for home education. The Policy explains:

• What personal information is collected
• Why this information is collected
• Sensitive information and why the OER collects it
• When personal information might be shared
• Can your information be identified
• How to access or correct your personal information
• How the OER keeps your personal information safe

GUIDELINES: Parental consent and sharing of information about a home educated student

 This Guideline clarifies the OER's position on parental consent in the context of home education registration.

It also describes how the OER responds to requests for information from people who are not the registered home educator—like a parent who isn’t registered, who doesn’t live with the child, or who is separated or divorced from the registered home educator (parent).

This Guideline provides some basic information about the Family Law Act 1975 including the nature of court orders and how the OER may respond to court orders when they are provided to us.

It explains the process for verifying identity and obtaining appropriate consent to ensure that the sharing of personal information complies with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 (PIP Act) including situations where information may be required to be provided under a court order.

GUIDELINES: Home Education Documentation: Legal Name Requirements

We respect every child’s identity and aim to use the name they feel most comfortable with. We also recognise that diverse family identities and circumstances exist within our community. However, we are also required to meet legal and administrative obligations in the home education registration process.

This Guideline explains how and when legal names and preferred names are used for children and young people in documents and communications relating to the home education registration process.

• Legal name (includes given and surname): This is the name recorded on the child’s Birth Certificate or on a Change of Name Certificate issued by an official authority such as Births, Deaths and Marriages, Tasmania (or similar in other jurisdictions).
• Preferred name: This is the name the child or young person wishes to be known by, which may differ from their legal name.
  

Feedback and comments

We genuinely welcome your feedback and suggestions—your insights help us improve and ensure our approach continues to meet the needs of the home education community.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have thoughts about any of the documents being shared today.  We can make changes to incorporate relevant comments and suggestions. 

Email: registrar@oer.tas.gov.au