http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html en-gb 30 Wed 06 Jan 2010 18:36:13 GMT+1 A feed of user comments from the page found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html?page=15#comment3 Betsan:UPDATE: A day late but pretty unequivocal: "We collect data on the numbers with impairment but not by level of impairment". So no, we really don't know how many deaf children there are in Welsh schools.i think that it is not acceptable, that there are no numbers; regarding children who are deaf in welsh schools....--Dennis Junior-- Sat 27 Dec 2008 05:44:48 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html?page=10#comment2 Betsan:"We don't know how many deaf children there are in Welsh schools". I do believe there are deaf children in Welsh schools....~Dennis Junior~ Sat 27 Dec 2008 05:43:43 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html?page=5#comment1 "'We simply don't know what is out there' was how he put it and the same, he argues, goes for children with all kinds of special educational needs. " This is certainly the case for children on the autistic spectrum, including our own son. Children with disabilities need all kinds of support from public services, including social services and education. Unless we know the total level of need, it is not easy to decide the level of financial and other resources which should be allocated. Thu 20 Nov 2008 18:16:30 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/11/answering_the_need.html?page=0#comment0 Hi BetsanThis is an ongoing problem and the lack of adequate official information is hugely concerning, especially as it dictates service delivery.There are clear figures for children in what WAG call hearing impaired units but what we don't have is a clear picture of the numbers of pupils with hearing loss in the whole education system.It's the same with every sector of life in that the system does not have a good grasp of the numbers of deaf people.Some strides are being taken within WAG to address this but at this time no-one can answer your question.In Wales, RNID Cymru estimates there are 480,000 people who are deaf and hard of hearing. That is based on informed calculations and evidence that approximately one in seven people have some form of hearing loss.But we all want to work to an evidence-based agenda, taking decisions about services based on facts not guesses.Thanks for reporting on this important issue - I'll look forward to seeing what response you get.DiolchRichard Williams, Director, RNID Cymru Thu 20 Nov 2008 14:31:44 GMT+1