Special Educational Needs

HC Deb 18 May 1993 vol 225 cc105-6W

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children with special educational needs had their needs first identified by(a) parents, (b) doctors/paediatricians, (c) educational psychologists, (d) school staff and (e) others.

Mr. Forth

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children with special educational needs had their needs identified at(a) below the age of five years and (b) above the age of five years in the latest convenient period.

Mr. Forth

In the calendar year 1991 11 per cent. of children for whom statements of special educational needs were made for the first time were under the age of five whilst the majority—89 per cent.—were five or over. It is not possible to tell how many of the total number of children aged five and over who currently have statements received them for the first time when they were under five.