§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many primary schools have units for hearing-impaired children; and what are the criteria for placement of children in such units;
(2) what evidence is at present available as to how far severely hearing-impaired children placed in units for the partially deaf are successfully integrated with normally hearing pupils for social and for academic purposes, respectively;
(3) how many children are at present attending units for the partially hearing attached to ordinary schools; how many such units at present exist; on what criteria decisions are made about the placement of such children in such units; and who makes these decisions.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasIn January, 1972 there were 2,279 children in 205 partially hearing units in England. Of these, 161 units providing for 1,793 children were attached to primary schools. Respon-134W sibility for providing suitable educational placements for all children rests with the LEAs. Criteria for placing hearing impaired children in units are suggested in "Education Survey No. 1: Units for Partially Hearing Children", published by HMSO in 1967 following a survey conducted by Her Majesty's inspectors. This stresses that, if a child is to benefit from attending a unit, he should be able to mix socially and attend some classes with normal children of his own age in the main school. Other criteria include communication skills, use of residual hearing and personality.
§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reports she has had from ordinary schools which have special units for deaf children that there are cases where children are wrongly placed and should be found places in special schools.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasNone.