§ 41. Mr. James Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to improve the provision of day care facilities and short stay care hostels for severely mentally handicapped children over the age of 16 years, in order to reduce the number of these children permanently hospitalised and increase the number normally living at home.
§ Mr. MoyleThe consultative document "Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England" proposed that as a first priority in the mental handicap field the growth of local authority services should be maintained at the rates 429W required to achieve the targets set out in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped". Particular priority was attached to training services for mentally handicapped people living with their families.
The National Development Group for the Mentally Handicapped has recently published pamphlets containing suggestions for action in relation to school-leavers and to short-term care and a further pamphlet on day services for mentally handicapped adults is published today. I hope that all concerned with day services for mentally handicapped people will study this valuable pamphlet most carefully. Particular reference is made in the pamphlet to the process by which school leavers are admitted to adult training centres. There is also a chapter on the special needs of the most severely handicapped. Copies of all NDG pamphlets are available in the Library of the House.