Mr. Irvingasked the Minister of Education (1) the total number of children of school age at present who have been ascertained to be in need of special education;
(2) the total number of children in need of special education who have not so far been accommodated either in special classes, day or residential special schools, or provided with adequate home teaching each week.
§ Mr. VosperMy Department does not collect information in the form asked for, but in December, 1954, local education authorities were providing special educational treatment for 55,907 pupils accommodated in special schools (other than hospital schools), boarding homes or108W independent schools, and were seeking places for a further 18,836. They were also educating 2,138 handicapped pupils at home and about 8,000 in hospital. All these figures include pupils both over and under the compulsory school age.
Mr. Irvingasked the Minister of Education the total number of children in need of special education who are not retained in ordinary schools, and are not accommodated in special classes, day or residential special schools, and are not provided with adequate home teaching each week.
§ Mr. VosperThis information is not available; but handicapped children who are educable are not usually excluded from ordinary schools until other arrangements have, where necessary, been made for them.