View report page

111
Statistics can now be obtained with ease and all children are
reviewed periodically by a Medical Officer to ensure continuing
assessment throughout pre-school and school life. No handicapped
child should now approach statutory school age without having
been seen several times by a Local Authority Medical Officer.
Subsequently, in consultation with its parents, a team approach by
these officers, hospital and family doctors, health visitors, teachers
and, in many cases, hospital and local authority social workers,
enables the most acceptable and rewarding plans to be made
for a child's entry into the educational system.
It is hoped that an increasing amount of Nursery School provision
will be made available for these children from the age of 2-3
years, according to the particular handicap. Experience has shown
that, within reason, the earlier the training of these children commences,
the more likely they are to reach their full developmental
potential and their parents to view the future with optimism.
The following table indicates that the number of children under
six years of age on the Register at December 31st, 1970, was 359
compared with 356 for the previous year and that the total of all
handicapped children to school-leaving age totalled 1,669.