§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what advice his Department gives to local education authorities concerning planning for the needs and futures of disabled children;
(2) what steps are taken to prepare disabled children for future employment when they leave school.
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§ Mr. DunnIt is the practice of special schools, in addition to providing a sound basic education and training in personal independence, to give advice to handicapped pupils about suitable employment and, wherever possible, to arrange for periods of work experience. They co-operate with the careers service in this.
Advice is available in several ways. Her Majesty's inspectors give educational advice to teachers and to other local authority staff through courses and conferences, as well as providing specific advice in the course of their contacts with schools and LEAs. Administrative advice is contained in circulars and other communications from the Department. Advice on the design and construction of buildings to take account of the needs of handicapped pupils and students is published from time to time by the Department's architects and building group.
§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how many disabled children are currently estimated to be attending school.
§ Mr. DunnThe information is not available in the form requested. According to returns from English local education authorities, they were responsible for providing special educational treatment for 140,917 handicapped pupils in schools in January 1983.
§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set up a survey to assess the needs of disabled children at school.
§ Mr. DunnThe committee of inquiry into the education of handicapped children and young people was appointed in 1974 and reported in 1978. This was followed by the Education Act 1981, which came into force in April of this year. The Department has commissioned research into a number of specific aspects of special education, including an inquiry by the National Foundation for Educational Research into "Pupils with Special Needs in the Ordinary School", the results of which were published in 1981.
The advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers is currently examining the provision for the training of teachers in special schools and units, and expects to report by Easter 1984.
In view of this, the need would seem to be to give the schools time to absorb and act on the information available rather than set up another survey.