§ Dr. Phippsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in England and Wales are identified as requiring special education in the maladjusted category; how many are receiving education in private, non-State, schools; how many are receiving education in maintained boarding schools; and by what process they are identified as maladjusted.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn January 1977, the total number of maladjusted children in England and Wales identified as requiring special education was 21,190. Of these, 5,442 were in non-maintained special schools and independent schools and 3,489 in boarding schools maintained by local education authorities. The remainder attended day special schools and classes maintained by local education authorities, were receiving education otherwise than at school or were awaiting placement in a special school. Advice on the discovery of children requiring special education was given in the Department's Circular No. 2/75, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the mentally handicapped children in Stoke-on-Trent aged between 3 and 5 years had places in special schools in each of the last five years; and what is the national average figures for children in this age range.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether her Department has issued guidance or advice and, if so, in what form, on the age at which it is desirable for mentally handicapped children to enter special schools.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy Department has not issued any such guidance or advice specifically in relation to mentally handicapped children but has consistently recognised the importance for614W all handicapped children of early educational experience. This was, for example, emphasised in Circular 2/73 on nursery education addressed to local education authorities by my Department and the Welsh Office in 1973. The forthcoming report of the Warnock Committee may well deal with the special educational needs of very young children.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many mentally handicapped children there are in England and Wales aged 0–3 years, 3–5 years, and 5–16 years; and how many in each category are in special schools.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonReturns to my Department from local education authorities are limited to handicapped children assessed as requiring some form of special educational treatment. In January 1977 there were 111 educationally subnormal children aged two attending special schools in England and Wales, 3,915 aged 3 to 5 years and 77,424 aged 6 to 16 years. In addition, 20,235 pupils in these age groups were in special classes at ordinary schools, in independent schools, were receiving education otherwise than at school or were awaiting placement in a special school.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many special schools for mentally handicapped children there are in (a) England and Wales, (b) the West Midlands and (c) North Staffordshire; and if she will give this figure as the number of schools per million people.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonIn January 1977, there were 1,036 special schools for educationally subnormal pupils in England and Wales, 115 in the West Midlands Region and 20 in Staffordshire; a separate figure for North Staffordshire is not available. The corresponding figures for the number of schools per million of the home population are 21, 22 and 20.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average waiting list for schools for mentally handicapped children in England and Wales, the West Midlands and North Staffordshire.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonInformation in the form requested is not available from 615W returns to my Department by local education authorities. In January 1977, 3,934 children assessed as educationally subnormal—(medium)—were awaiting places in special schools in England and Wales and 1,142 assessed as educationally subnormal (severe). Corresponding figures for the West Midlands Region were 533 and 185 and for Staffordshire 215 and 85. Separate figures for North Staffordshire are not available. The number of schools at which there was a waiting list is not known.