HC Deb 29 April 1994 vol 242 cc378-9W
Mr. James Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy that children with special educational needs should be educated as near to their home as possible; and what account is taken of the wishes of children and parents in this matter.

Mr. Forth

The Education Act 1993 requires local education authorities to comply with any preference of parents of a child with a statement of special educational needs regarding the maintained school they want their child to attend. This duty applies unless the school is unsuitable to the child's needs or the child's placement would be incompatible with the interests of other children already in the school or with the efficient use of the LEA's resources.

The draft code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, which we expect to be debated in both Houses shortly, contains extensive guidance on the placement of children with special educational needs, emphasising the importance of parents' views and that, so far as possible, the views of the child are taken into account during the statutory assessment and in the statement.

Mr. James Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration has been given to the use of financial incentives to local education authorities for them to reduce the proportion of children with statements of special educational needs; what link has been made between the amount of money that a local authority receives from Government sources and the reduction of provision in places in special needs schools; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth

The draft code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, which we expect to be debated in both Houses shortly, sets criteria aimed at ensuring that statutory assessments and statements are made only when necessary. It also emphasises the role of mainstream schools in making special educational provision for the majority of pupils with special educational needs.

LEAs may receive capital allocations following the approval of statutory proposals involving surplus place reduction in maintained special schools. Any such allocation will depend on the authority's need for capital expenditure to implement the proposals. My right hon. Friend always takes into account value for money and capital costs when determining such proposals.

Mr. James Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that provision for special educational needs places is made a consequence of the informed judgment of parents, education psychologists, teachers and social services as to what is the most desirable education that a child with special needs should receive, and to avoid influence by statistical targets for the percentage of children with special needs in the local authority.

Mr. Forth

The draft code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, which we expect to be debated in both Houses shortly, offers guidance designed to help teachers, LEA officers and other professionals work together with parents to ensure that every child receives the educational provision appropriate to his or her individual special educational needs.

Mr. James Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy governing the percentage of children with statements of special educational needs in a local authority in maintained schools; and in what form this policy is conveyed to local authorities.

Mr. Forth

The Government's policy is set out in the Education Act 1993 and the draft code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, which we expect to be debated in both Houses shortly, and which, subject to parliamentary approval, will be distributed to all maintained schools and local education authorities. The policy is that children with statements of special educational needs should, subject to the wishes of their parents, be educated alongside their peers in mainstream schools, so long as this would be compatible with the child receiving the special educational provision he or she needs; the interests of other children already in the school; and the efficient use of resources.

The placement of an individual child is a matter for judgment by the local education authority in the light of a statutory assessment of the child: where appropriate and subject to the views of parents, placement might be made in a school not maintained by the LEA.