# Would you support mandatory home visits for all parents?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-support-mandatory-home-visits-for-all-parents/137809>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 20, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-support-mandatory-home-visits-for-all-parents/137809 "2002-11-20T22:04:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-support-mandatory-home-visits-for-all-parents/137809/81 "2002-11-25T08:55:18Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cessandra \*  
> \*\*Aro, if such a program was instituted in the US on a _voluntary_ basis, I could see many parents taking advantage of it. But the idea that our homes should be free from unwanted government intrusion without a warrant is at the core of the American way of life. Additionally, I find something vaguely insulting about the concept that all new parents need the government’s help whether they want it or not. \*\*

I understand your point. I have been asking around all my friends who are parents and it seems the visits are not _strictly_ compulsory. Social Services _do_ contact the new parent(s) and arrange visits, but the parents do have the option to say"no".

I have yet to meet someone who ever said no, and who wasn’t welcoming to the help offered.

And I don’t’ think the service is _all_ about helping the parents whether they want it or not, but also partly about ensuring the child is receiving a minimum level of care, cleanliness and diet. I don’t think the child deserves any less.

Why is it insulting to assume parents might not be capable of diagnosing a speech impediment or a hearing problem in their child? There are many issues which may be missed by the best of parents, which could otherwise be counteracted swiftly and easily, and with minimum fuss, by the Health Visitor or other consultants.

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**Author:** ![QueenAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/d26b3c/32.png) [@QueenAl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QueenAl)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-support-mandatory-home-visits-for-all-parents/137809/82 "2002-11-25T14:44:23Z")

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Of course home schoolers should be visited. Passing academic test is not enough; the child could be a little genius passing with little help from its home-schooling parents, or it could be an ordinary child drilled into academic excellence to the detriment of its social development. Who knows? Nobody, unless the home school is visited. If what KellyM says is true, that private schools are so underlegislated, then homeschoolers might have a case for a similar level of non-intervention; however, if (as in the UK) all schools are subject to some inspections to ensure acceptable standards, I really can’t see why home-schoolers should be any different.

But then I’m not American.

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