Hackney Council says it has held a “constructive” meeting with representatives of the local Strictly Orthodox community to improve safeguarding within yeshivot.

It follows a report last year by the council which called on the government to tackle unregistered institutions as “a matter of urgency”.

Up to 1,500 boys from the age of 13 are estimated by the council to be attending unregulated local yeshivot.

But while the council reports there has been “some encouraging dialogue” with the Charedi community over safeguarding, there is resistance to ensuring that boys receive a basic level of secular education. 

In an update to Hackney’s commission on children and young people this week, council officers said Charedi representatives were “positive” about setting up a safeguarding committee for yeshivot to be chaired by the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations.

But the commission’s chairman believed only “legislative change” could resolve the curriculum issue.