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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is the Government's policy that conductive education should be made available to all children with special educational needs; what research he has commissioned on conductive education in special education; and what guidance has been issued on the use of conductive education for children with motor disorders. [194626] Margaret Hodge: Decisions about how to provide for children with special educational needs (SEN) are taken locally in light of all the individual circumstances. Local education authorities (LEAs) have a statutory duty to identify, assess and provide for children with SEN, taking advice from professionals and other agencies as necessary. Some individual placements at specialist centres providing conductive education are being funded by LEAs, social services and health. A research project by the University of Birmingham to evaluate the effectiveness of conductive education was funded by the Department in 1993. This found no evidence that children receiving conductive education progress better than comparable children at maintained special schools. There are no plans to give all pupils with special educational needs access to for giving children with SEN and Disabilities the opportunity to succeed according to their personal needs and aptitudes. This strategy builds on proposals for the reform of the children's services in Every Child Matters. It sets a new agenda for improvement and action at a national and local level.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

194626; 426 c759-60W;426 c764W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Access Disability Special educational needs Research Conductive education

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk