§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the deaf-blind children who leave special schools succeed in obtaining employment; and what kind of employment appears to be most appropriate for such persons.
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§ Mr. Jim LesterNeither my Department nor the Department of Education and Science keeps statistics which separately identify young people who are both deaf and blind. I understand, however, that fewer than five deaf-blind young people are thought to leave special schools each year. Principally because these young people usually have severe communication problems which may be associated with behavioural difficulties, they more frequently go into adult training centres rather than open or sheltered employment. Examples of the work they have undertaken are assembly work in factories—often using special jigs—filling envelopes or packages for mailing; and brush making and chair seating in sheltered workshops. Very occasionally a deaf-blind person with the necessary intellectual ability is able to enter higher education with some prospect of eventual employment at a professional level.