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104
Handicapped Register
At 31st December, 1966 there were 372 children under the age
of five years listed in this register.

Since several children have more than one defect, the total
number of handicaps is greater than the number of registered
children. This register is subject to regular review by a Medical
Officer and an Assistant Nursing Officer to ensure that a child and
its family are receiving all necessary support and guidance in their
daily problems and that plans may be made for future educational
and recreational needs.
In the case of children who are so severely handicapped that
they will obviously require community services after school leaving
age, the appropriate welfare/mental health workers are introduced
to the family, although day to day support is given by health visitors
during infancy and by social workers (Personal Health Services)
during school days.
On school entry, all records of handicapped children are available
to School Medical Officers. Some handicapped children cannot
receive the necessary care at home and in such cases residential care
is arranged making sure that the child is kept in touch with his
family. Great importance is attached to the consideration of these
families as complete units containing a handicapped member rather
than as a group which has an isolated "patient" attached to it.
The Council's arrangements for the co-ordination of services
for the handicapped, a report on which was requested by the Ministry
of Health and the Department of Education and Science in their
respective Circulars 7/66 and 9/66, are to be found on pages 149 to 154
in the Section dealing with the Welfare Services.
Deaf Register (Including Partially Hearing)
The comprehensive register containing the names of all children
known to be deaf or with partial hearing was maintained by the
department throughout the year.
At the end of 1966, the register contained the names of 192
deaf or partially hearing children, 179 of whom were of school age,
the majority having been diagnosed following the "sweep" hearing
test which all children undergo on entering school.