Thank you, hon Speaker. Hon Minister, the Department of Health's occupational therapists can't actually place intellectually impaired children in special schools at present. They must forward the cases to Special Needs Education Services. This is where there are a lot of problems. Lists of children await attention for up to two years, parents are not contacted, and phones are not answered. There is a sense that people are feeling that they would prefer this situation to be back in the hands of the Department of Health. So, it is a situation that needs to be looked into.
There is also a catch-22 situation, as government will not place special needs teachers in schools unless there are sufficient students, while schools will not accept students without sufficient teachers. So that is another area that will need to be looked into.
Is it possible for me to be sent that special audit and recommendations? I would much appreciate it. Thank you.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Hon Speaker, yes, we will make the special audit available to the hon member. We will also convey the concerns of the hon member to the relevant departments. Thank you.