Home Education Association

Home education, or homeschooling, is a legal alternative to school education in all Australian states. As the name suggests, it involves a parent taking direct responsibility for the education of their children at home.

The Home Education Association Inc. (HEA) was formed in April 2001 to support, promote and encourage the practice of homeschooling in Australia and to provide members with benefits which would be difficult to obtain by individuals or smaller groups.

Membership is available to all home educating families in Australia. The cost of membership is $50 per family per year, plus a $10 joining fee for new or expired members. Becoming a member of the Association is a way in which you can support this Australia-wide initiative to promote the practice of home education.

If you would like to find out more about us, the objects of the Association and the benefits of membership are dealt with in detail on the About Us page

The HEA has no affiliation with state education authorities and all members should note that privacy is an Association priority.

The broader objects of the HEA are as follows:

To uphold the principle that parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children.
To promote a broader awareness of Home Education and its benefits throughout Australia.
To promote and encourage the development of Home Education Networks.
To provide services and resources to Home Education Networks and individual home educators.
To endeavour to procure any rights, privileges, concessions or benefits relating to home education for home educators and their families.
To maintain a respect for the diversity of philosophies and methods used by Home Educators.

While individuals and home education groups will still run their own affairs, the HEA sees itself as an umbrella organization offering benefits to home educators which are difficult for smaller networks and individuals to achieve.

These are some of the benefits and services membership helps to provide to the home educating community:

A website, phone and email answering network service, answers questions from enquiring and new homeschoolers, the media and researchers.
Lifting the profile of home education in the political arena by letter writing at opportune times.
HEA produces promotional material to help spread the word that homeschooling is the third option in education for Australian families.
Discounts to all HEA events and many education Service Providers as well as an annual Resource Directory (free to members).
Aides for support groups to run introductory evenings in local areas.
Parent courses in getting started and overcoming burnout are also run regularly by home schoolers qualified in both many years of personal experience and in adult education. These are available on CD for those unable to attend the courses.
Regular newsletter and bi-monthly online magazine for HEA members
Communication across state borders on issues relevant to all homeschoolers. The HEA website lists support groups and contacts by state, and hosts discussion forums. News items and articles relevant to homeschoolers are published on the site.
HEA has taken out insurance to protect itself and members when engaging in homeschooling activities.
As members use their HEA membership cards they promote home education as a legitimate educational alternative to museums and bookstores offering education discounts.