HC Deb 17 July 1978 vol 954 cc106-8W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of mentally handicapped children for whom local authorities need to make provision for reception into either foster or residential care each year; for how many mentally handicapped children local authorities made such provision in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alfred Morris

The 1971 White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"—Cmnd. 4683—suggested that local authorities should work towards the provision of two places for mentally handicapped children in foster homes and lodgings, and 10 places in local authority, voluntary or privately owned residential homes per 100,000 total population.

The information on provision of places available centrally which approximates most closely to that requested is given in the table below:

from 1971–72, for which net expenditure in England, at 1977 prices, was:

£ million
1971–72 3.416
1972–73 3.732
1973–74 4.861
1974–75 5.922
1975–76 7.295
1976–77 8.486

These figures include debt charges and, except for 1971–72, exclude administration costs which are not apportioned to individual services.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects to issue a circular on guidance to local and health authorities concerning the admission of mentally handicapped children to long-stay hospital care; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moyle

A draft circular was sent to the local authority associations and other interested organisations on 26th June, with a request for their comments by the beginning of September. I hope to issue substantive guidance as soon as possible hereafter. A copy of the draft circular has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the long-stay hospitals for mentally handicapped children in England; and, for each hospital, what is the number of children and the proportion they form of the total patients and the whole time ratio to children of care staff in the following disciplines; nursing, speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, play therapy clinical psychology and paediatrics.

Mr. Moyle

As much as possible of the information requested is being assembled, and I shall circulate it in theOfficial Report.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to increase the number of residential care places for mentally handicapped children provided by local authorities; what additional finance will be included in the rate support grant settlement for 1979–80 for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Alfred Morris

My Department's planning guidelines for health and personal social services for 1978–79, which were issued in March this year, asked local authorities to give particular priority to residential facilities for mentally handicapped children. I hope, too, that the circular which I propose to issue asking health and local authorities jointly to set dates after which no mentally handicapped child will be inappropriately admitted to hospital will lead local authorities to look carefully at their future plans for providing such facilities. No decisions have yet been made on the rate support grant for 1979–80, but I and my Department have noted the point made by my hon. Friend.

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