§ Mr. Darlingasked the Minister of Education how many special schools for handicapped children are provided by local education authorities in England and Wales; how many children attend; how many specially trained teachers are employed; what is the cost per child; and what estimate he has of the number of handicapped children who are unable to find places in special schools.
§ Sir E. BoyleIn 1962 there were 710 special schools, including 86 hospital schools, maintained by local education authorities, with 59,000 children and some 4,900 teachers. Special training is required only for teachers of the blind, the deaf and the partially hearing, of whom there were 646. Other teachers may also have received special training, and some 300 teachers have attended supplementary or advanced courses in special education since the war. In 1962–63 the estimated cost of the schools was £13.7 million; it would, however, be misleading to calculate an average figure of cost per child because the wide disparities in disabilities and needs are reflected in a wide range of costs. In January, 1962, there were some 13,800 children awaiting places in special schools.