§ Baroness Uddinasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider launching an advertising campaign to recruit graduates as specialist speech therapists and specialist teachers later this year. [HL1129]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Department of Health invests in a wide range of measures to recruit graduates into the healthcare professions, including speech and language therapy. These include provision of improved bursaries and payment of tuition fees for students, setting up of NHS Careers to provide careers advice and information, improved careers literature and the recent national recruitment advertising campaign for all staff. The department is also discussing with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists how to build on these measures.
The Department for Education and Employment is providing significant levels of financial support for the training and professional development of teachers and other staff working with children with special educational needs.