§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf/blind and blind/deaf people there are in Northern Ireland; what advice his Department is giving to area health and social services boards as to how the needs of these groups can be met; what provision is being made by boards; what efforts are being made to provide employment for young deaf/blind people who are capable of earning a living; what provision exists for specialist training of social workers to meet the needs of deaf/blind people in Northern Ireland; what is the incidence of mental handicap among the deaf/blind; what additional needs have been identified as requiring further help; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeedhamIn the absense of an accepted definition of the terms blind/deaf and deaf/blind, information about778W these groups and on the incidence of mental handicap among them is not available. In an attempt to provide a workable interpretation the Royal National Institute for the Blind has established a working party which is currently considering this complex issue.
In Northern Ireland, the individual needs of visually handicapped and hearing-impaired clients are met by the general range of statutory and voluntary services including the provision of home helps, aids and adaptations. and day centre and workshop activities. In the Eastern board area, specialist rehabilitation services are provided at Beechbank house and Helen Keller house. However, it is recognised that services specifically for the deaf and blind reqire improvement. In its regional strategy for the period 1987–92. the Department has advised boards that it will expect them to effect improvements either through the creation of specialist posts or through in-service training designed to ensure that existing staff, including social workers, are made more aware and capable of meeting the needs of blind and deaf people.
With regard to employment opportunities, each of the Province's 28 jobmarkets has a careers officer who has particular responsibility for guiding and advising disabled young persons on career choice and on training in the youth training programme. The programme provides financial resources for young disabled people to meet the cost of, for example specialist equipment, and for deaf and blind trainees in particular, assistance is available through the Education Support Service which has three full-time teachers specialising in their needs.