HC Deb 09 June 1964 vol 696 cc53-5W
Miss Quennell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many special classes exist for boys and girls who are maladjusted, physically handicapped, mentally handicapped and educationally subnormal, respectively; and how many residential hostels are available for them.

Mr. Hogg

Statistics are available only in respect of special classes or units (not forming part of special schools) for physically handicapped and maladjusted children, though a number of local education authorities also make arrangements for educationally subnormal children to receive special educational treatment in special classes. Mentally handicapped children who are not suitable for education at school are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health.

The figures below were supplied by local education authorities in January 1964:

Number of Classes Number of Pupils
Maladjusted 89 1,032
Physically handicapped 17 207

The following numbers of residential and boarding homes were being used by local education authorities in January 1964:

For maladjusted children 76
For maladjusted and physically handicapped 1
For maladjusted and delicate 3
For delicate and physically handicapped 4
For delicate, physically handicapped and educationally subnormal 1
For educationally subnormal 3

Of these, 44 were maintained by authorities.

Miss Quennell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many establishments of further education are available to accommodate maladjusted, physically and mentally-handicapped and educationally sub-normal school leavers, both boys and girls, respectively;

(2) how many assessment centres are available to assess the educational and training potential of maladjusted, physically and mentally-handicapped and educationally sub-normal school leavers; and where these are sited.

Mr. Hogg

Many handicapped school leavers are able to attend ordinary establishments of further education. My Department recognises five special centres of further education for physically handicapped school leavers. These are:

St. Loyes College, Exeter. 50 places (boys and girls).
Queen Elizabeth College for the Disabled, Leatherhead. Some 30 places for boys and girls out of a total of 150 which includes older students on training courses.
School of Stitchery and Lace, for Cripple Girls, Great Book ham. Local education authorities maintain a small number of girls among the total of 33 places also available for older trainees.
Derwen Cripples Training College, Oswestry. Local education authorities maintain about 30 boys. The remaining places are filled by adult trainees.
The Lord Mayor Treloar College, Alton. 60 places for boys.

My Department does not recognise any special further education establishments for maladjusted or educationally subnormal school leavers.

In addition to these recognised centres of further education, there are others run by voluntary bodies which are used by local education authorities but which are not recognised by my Department. I should explain that recognition is a technical term involving the acceptance of certain conditions. Lack of recognition in this case is not any indication of a lack of efficiency.

Under the provisions of the Employment and Trade Act, 1948, the Youth Employment Service is available for the vocational guidance of school leavers up to the age of 18 and beyond that age if they are still at school. In addition to this, one of the tasks of the centres of further education mentioned above is the assessment of their students for vocational training and employment.

Miss Quennell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many blind, partially-sighted and deaf and dumb children, respectively, are now in the charge of his Department; and

Blind Partially Sighted Deaf Partially Hearing Speech Defects
In special schools 1,293 1,901 3,047 1,808 111
In independent schools under arrangements made by Local Education Authorities 5 12 187 83 8
In boarding homes 1 18
Being educated otherwise than at school (arrangements under Section 56 of the Education Act 1944) 21 17 8 34 5
In special classes or units 99 916
TOTALS 1,320 2,029 3,260 2,841 124

No statistics for the number of leavers from special schools are kept, but it is estimated to be about 700.