§ 131. Mr. Skinnardasked the Minister of Education what steps he proposes to take with regard to the treatment of deaf children under the age of five years; and whether he is prepared to encourage the setting up by local education authorities of special day nursery centres under the direction of an otologist and staffed by qualified speech therapists.
§ Mr. TomlinsonI am fully alive to the importance of deaf children starting their education at an early age, and in a series of conferences with local education authorities throughout the country during the past year my officers have emphasised the need of providing more special schools for deaf children from the age of two. I should not be prepared to agree to educational centres with the staff suggested by my hon. Friend, but many authorities have established clinics under otologists for the treatment of defective hearing.