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(xiii) 436 additional places at vocational

training centres to be provided for the

disabled by 1980;

(xiv) the responsibility for the education of

all mentally retarded children to be

transferred from the Social Welfare

Department to the Education Department

as soon as practicable;

(xv)

child guidance and peripatetic teaching

services, speech therapy services and

psychiatric services to be improved.

1977 White Paper : Integrating the Disabled into the Community A United Effort

*18.

The 1977 White Paper took into account public reaction to

the 1976 Green Paper in setting out the government's proposals for

the further development of rehabilitation services up to 1985-86.

These proposals were to be implemented as quickly as possible; and

the objectives and targets listed in the White Paper, the progress

of implementation and the adoption of other proposals put forward

by the public in their comments on the Green Paner would be reviewed

annually with effect from 1978.

19.

In so far as special education and training was concerned,

the White Paper noted that in April 1977, 12,165 special education

places were available for students with disabilities, made up of

3,805 places in special schools, 4,095 places in special classes in

ordinary schools, 3,840 places in resource classes in ordinary schools,

and 425 places in hospital schools. In addition there were 1,756

places at children's training centres and 732 places at prevocational

and vocational training centres run by the Social Welfare Department

or by voluntary organisations. A comparison between existing foreseeable

demand and the planned supply of school places indicated that sufficient

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