§ Charles HendryTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to identify cases of dyslexia at the earliest opportunity; and if he will make a statement. [169133]
§ Margaret HodgeEarly intervention is one of the key themes of "Removing Barriers To Achievement", our strategy for special educational needs, published in February. Guidance on identifying and assessing special educational needs is given in the SEN Code of Practice, to which schools and local education authorities must 1749W have regard. A range of material for teachers on dyslexia and dyscalculia has also been produced as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to help promote inclusion of pupils with specific learning difficulties. The guidance has been well received and other material is in preparation.
The Department continues to work closely with the British Dyslexia Association and the Dyslexia Institute to help raise awareness and develop new resources that will be of practical assistance to teachers and other staff. We have, for example, supported a dyslexia friendly schools pack and a hand hints poster for primary schools. The Department has also supported research into eye movement characteristics as a possible means of identifying dyslexia.