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PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS
There is no statutory definition in the National Assistance Act,
1948, of partial sight, but the Department of Health and Social Security
has advised that a person who is not blind within the meaning of
the Act of 1948, but who is, nevertheless, substantially and permanently
handicapped by congenitally defective vision or in whose case illnes
or injury has caused defective vision of a substantial and permanently
handicapping character is within the scope of the Welfare Services
which the local authority are empowered to provide for blind persons.
This does not apply to other benefits specially enjoyed by the
registered blind.
The register of partially sighted persons (Table I) shows a total
of 134 (134), of whom 31 (39) were newly registered during the year
(Table II).
An analysis of the causes of partial sight of the newly registered
is shown in Table IV.
Training and Employment
Severely handicapped
There are fifty-six persons near and prospectively blind who
require the full range of Welfare Services. Their circumstances are
as follows:-
Male
Female
Total
Employed
2
5
7
Undergoing training
1
-
1
Awaiting suitable placement
-
_
-
Not available for employment
or not capable of work
7
41
48
10
46
56 (61)
Requiring observation only
-
12
12 (15)
Industrially handicapped
The remaining persons registered
are classified thus:-
Children aged 16 years and over
still at school
-
1
1
Employed
9
2
11
Undergoing training
-
1
1
Available for and capable
of training for work
3
-
3
Not available for work
11
38
49
23
42
65 (57)
Education
One child under 15 years is
attending a special day
school
1
-
1 (1)
TOTAL
34
100
134 (134)