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some children whose physical condition was regarded as being
poor because they were overweight.
Non-routine medical examinations were carried out on 2,653
occasions to determine pupils' fitness to undertake school journeys
and a further 612 handicapped children were examined to assess
their special educational needs. In addition to the above, nonroutine
medical examinations were performed on 551 pupils before
they were considered fit to take up part-time employment. As a
result of the 29,874 comprehensive and 23,688 selective surveys
carried out on pupils in the Borough, 357 children (0.9% of the
total school roll) were found to be verminous, compared with a
figure of 1.20% for the Inner London Education Authority as a
whole.
There were no new additional schools opened in the Borough
during 1969.
Child Guidance Clinic
For the first half of 1969 the Child Guidance Clinic continued
to share the Chevening Road Welfare Centre premises with certain
other services but, since August, 1969, the Unit has operated from
63 Rochester Way, London, S.E.3, a move which has given the
Unit more space and freedom for its work.
As in the previous year, a Psychiatrist and an Educational
Psychologist attended the Unit on two days a week and a full-time
Psychiatric Social Worker joined this team in January, 1969.
During 1969, 82 cases were referred to the Clinic for psychiatric
treatment. At the end of the year 34 cases were on the waiting
list pending diagnostic interviews and 36 cases were still attending.
During the year, 47 cases had been closed and the names of 29
pupils had been withdrawn. Due to overloading, the waiting list was
closed in October, 1969, although new clinically urgent cases,
however, were still seen.
Pressures on the Clinic remain heavy and to meet adequately the
rising demand there is a continued need for increased psychiatric
and psychiatric social work sessions. The provision of more
accommodation would also be advantageous.