Deaf-Blind Children (Hansard, 7 November 1980)

§ Mr. Wigley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaf-blind children there are in England and Wales of school age.

§ Sir George Young
The following numbers of children aged 5–15 were registered with local authorities as being blind 687W with additional handicaps on 31 March 1979. Statistics for children over 15 are

England Wales

Blind and deaf without speech^* … 13 1

Blind and deaf with speech† … 15 0

Blind and hard of hearing‡ … 9 1

Blind and mentally ill with other physical sensory or speech handicap … 23 2

Blind and mentally handicapped with other physical sensory or speech handicap … 213 18

Blind and physically handicapped with other sensory or speech handicaps … 23 4

^* Those who have no useful hearing and whose normal method of communication is by signs, finger spelling or writing.

† Those who (even with a hearing aid) have little or no useful hearing but whose normal method of communication is by speech and lip reading.

‡ Those who (with or without a hearing aid) have some useful hearing and whose normal method of communication is by speech, listening and lip reading.

§ Mr. Wigley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaf-blind children of school age are currently resident in mental subnormality units within hospitals in England and Wales.

§ Sir George Young
I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

		England	Wales
Blind and deaf without speech^*	…	13	1
Blind and deaf with speech†	…	15	0
Blind and hard of hearing‡	…	9	1
Blind and mentally ill with other physical sensory or speech handicap	…	23	2
Blind and mentally handicapped with other physical sensory or speech handicap	…	213	18
Blind and physically handicapped with other sensory or speech handicaps	…	23	4
^* Those who have no useful hearing and whose normal method of communication is by signs, finger spelling or writing.
† Those who (even with a hearing aid) have little or no useful hearing but whose normal method of communication is by speech and lip reading.
‡ Those who (with or without a hearing aid) have some useful hearing and whose normal method of communication is by speech, listening and lip reading.