§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to ensure that his predecessor's pledge to remove all mentally handicapped children from long-stay hospitals by the end of 1987 is achieved.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe specific target announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Fowler), the then Secretary of State, and set for health authorities in health circular HC(87) 7 March 1987 is that 127W
by the end of 1988 alternative provision should have been made so that no mentally handicapped child receiving long-term care should need to live in a large mental handicap hospital".From the detailed information about such children provided by regional health authority chairmen last year, it is clear that alternative provision is already being made or planned for all but a small minority of mentally handicapped children still in hospital who may have particular health care needs. We are following up progress.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children were placed in long-stay mental handicap hospitals for short-stay or respite care in the last 12 months; for how long they stayed there on average, for every health district; and what alternative community provision, including specialist fostering, is available for such children in each health district and each social services authority;
(2) how many children, by yearly age breakdown, are living in mental handicap hospitals in each health district; and how many of these children now have been jointly assessed by the appropriate local education authority, health authority and social services department.
§ Mrs. CurrieI shall let my hon. Friend have as much information as is available as soon as possible.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has any plans for encouraging voluntary organisations to develop community-based services for children who currently live in mental handicap hospitals; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will introduce measures to make it financially attractive for local authorities to develop appropriate community services for children currently living in mental handicap hospitals, including those with multi-handicaps and behaviour problems; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what is his estimate of the number of mentally or multi-handicapped children who will always require residential health provision.
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Opencast Coal Mining Appeals by County Date Result Derbyshire 6 November 1978 Newbold, Chesterfield Dismissed 8 February 1979 Snowden Lane, Troway Allowed 28 February 1986 Barnabas, Clay Cross Allowed 28 January 1987 Kirk, nr. Marehay Dismissed 25 March 1987 Clay Cross Allowed 25 March 1987 Clay Cross Dismissed Durham 28 July 1976 Colepike Farm, Ianchester Allowed 16 February 1977 Royal Oak Farm, Darlington Allowed 17 February 1977 Cowley and West Kindon Farms, Bishop Auckland Allowed 28 April 1977 Roddymore, nr. Crook Allowed 9 August 1979 Newbiggin Moor Farm, nr. Heighington Allowed 24 March 1980 Hill Top Farm, East Stanley Allowed 19 August 1980 Billy Hill, nr. Stanley Allowed 10 October 1980 Martinfield, Toft Hill, Bishop Auckland Allowed 19 November 1980 Sunniside, Tow Law Allowed 6 February 1981 Park House Farm, Oakenshaw Allowed 1 February 1982 Job's Hill, Crook Dismissed 21 February 1985 Hilton Moor, Evenwood Gate Dismissed 28 May 1985 Hill House Farm, Witton-le-Wear Dismissed 7 February 1986 Hilton Moor, Evenwood Gate Allowed 12 August 1986 Whiteside Farm, Derwentside Dismissed 8 May 1987 Rosehills, Stanley Dismissed
§ Mrs. CurrieVoluntary organisations have already since 1982 been encouraged through our Department's pound for pound scheme to make alternative provision in the community for mentally handicapped children from hospitals. Health authorities are able to transfer both short-term and continuing funding to help local authorities and voluntary organisations for this purpose. The Department has made £10.5 million available from central funds to district health authorities for 37 homelike projects in the community for children who requirecontinuous residential health care, and health authorities are also planning such care for most of the children still in hospital, including those with multi-handicaps and behaviour problems. It is not possible to estimate the total number of mentally or multi-handicapped children who will always require such care.