Deaf and Partially Deaf Children

HC Deb 20 April 1956 vol 551 cc107-8W

Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Education (1) to give, for the latest convenient date, the number of children, ascertained as deaf and partially deaf, respectively, who are under 5 years of age and not attending schools appropriate to their disability;

(2) to give, for the latest convenient date, the number of children, ascertained as deaf and partially deaf, respectively, who are under 5 years of age and are attending schools appropriate to their disability;

(3) to give, for the latest convenient date, the number of children, ascertained as deaf and partially deaf, respectively, who are over 5 years of age and not attending schools of the kind appropriate to their disability.

Mr. Vosper

In January. 1956, the numbers were as follows:

Attending special schools	Awaiting places in special schools
Deaf	3,923	Under five	95
		Over five	68
Partially deaf	1,435	Under five	21
		Over five	160

The numbers attending school in 1956 have not yet been analysed by age; but in January, 1955, of the 3,915 deaf and the 1,291 partially deaf children attending special schools 305 and 6 respectively were under five.