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DENTAL
The dental staff consists of two full-time dental officers and two others employed
on a part-time basis.
There were 9,566 attendances at the four dental clinics, where fourteen anaesthetic
sessions were held in addition to 1,388 treatment sessions. Five inspection sessions
were held in the schools. The relatively low number of treatments may perhaps be due to
the changing attitude of parents, many of whom now prefer to have their children treated by
their own dental surgeons.
BOROUGH CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE
The appropriate Government Departments have stressed the need for the fully
co-ordinated use of the local authority and other statutory and voluntary services available
for the welfare of children in their own homes "to ensure that the most effective use is made
of existing resources".
The former London County Council developed a co-ordinating machinery, through
their divisional co-ordinating committees, which proved effective and led to the development
of personal contacts at all levels between all the departments concerned, resulting in a
mutual awareness of the contribution which can be made by all workers.
Gradually, these committees found their interest was not restricted to questions
of child neglect and ill treatment, but widened to include other family problems, including
families facing eviction, unsatisfactory tenants and families facing break-up through a variety
of causes. The arrangements in each division were developed experimentally on slightly
different lines to meet local circumstances, but have been standardised in the light of experience.
The Working Party of officers dealing with the personal health services strongly
recommended the new London Boroughs to establish Borough Co-ordinating Committees on the