§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment has been made of the need for children with severe speech difficulties to have access to specialist speech and language support within mainstream schools; [169942]
(2) what guidelines exist for the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support to be provided by each local education authority. [169943]
§ Margaret HodgeSpeech and language needs and the necessary the collaboration between education and health to meet those needs were considered in a research report published in November 2000, "Provision for children with speech and language needs in England and Wales: facilitating communication between education and heath services" (Department for Education and Employment Research Report RR239). This was published alongside the report of the Working Group on Speech and Language Therapy Services to Children with Special Educational Needs (England).
Local education authorities, maintained schools, early years settings and others have to have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice published in November 2001. This gives practical advice on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make suitable provision for children with SEN. The Code includes a section on speech and language therapy support.
No guidance has been issued in relation to the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support, since provision should reflect the assessed needs of individual children, some of whom may have severe or complex needs or multiple disabilities. The DfES and Department of Health have however established an Action Forum to improve provision for children with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream schools or other settings. This group brings together key interests with a view to identifying and promoting good practice.