Mother of two worried government's new homeschooling measures could take away her 'freedom'

• Video report by ITV News Correspondent Angus Walker

A mother of two who educates her children at home has told ITV News the government's proposals for homeschooling could take away "freedom" from parents like herself.

Vicky Scregg is among the rising number of parents who have decided to teach their children outside of the national system.

Nearly 50,000 children in the UK are being homeschooled - a rise of 40% over the last three years.

• What are the new proposals?

The raft of proposed changes to the current system includes a compulsory registration of children educated at home and increased monitoring powers given to local councils.

Critics of the present homeschooling system have said it "isn't fit for purpose."

The former Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, told ITV News:

"I am absolutely convinced that the existing legislation isn't fit for purpose and needs to be reformed and it needs to take into account thedangers that exist of large number of children leaving school and being educated elsewhere with no one knowing where they are."

• Why is Vicky Scregg worried about these proposed changes?

Speaking to ITV News, Scregg said: "If more restriction was bought in, a lot of that freedom and flexibility would obviously go along with it."

She added: "Ultimately a parent, you would hope, has the best interests of their child at heart.

"If we didn't think that it was in their best interests to home educate them we wouldn't be doing it."

• How are the government handling these proposed changes?

The Department of Education have started a consultation seeking feedback on the new proposals from parents, local authorities and young people.

The responses can be emailed or posted or given via an online form before 2 July when the consultation process closes.