Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has told the BBC that the introduction of a “landmark” children’s bill “will seek to keep children safe”. The bill was put forward to Parliament on the same day as Sara Sharif’s father and stepmother were sentenced for her murder.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will make sure that teachers and schools are always involved in decisions around safeguarding children in their area, and that if a child’s home environment is assessed as unsuitable or unsafe, local authorities have the power to intervene.

The Local Government Association, which represents councils, has asked for the new register to come with additional powers. “[The register] must be combined with powers for councils to meet face-to-face with children, which is vital to allow councils to ensure children are receiving a suitable education in a safe environment,” said councillor Arooj Shah, chair of the Children and Young People Board.

“Over 100,000 children are already registered with local authorities as home-educated, new legislation is not needed to offer those families requested support,” she added. ” Wendy Charles-Warner, chair of home education charity Education Otherwise, told the BBC.

The Education Policy Institute warned that up to 300,000 children may be missing from education entirely.