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During the year 404 persons were recommended by their doctors, hospital consultants, etc., for
recuperative holidays. Only suitable persons recommended on medical grounds as being in need of rest,
fresh air and good food to aid recovery from recent illness could be considered. 37 recommendations were
not approved, some on the grounds that medical and nursing care were required, and these applications were
referred to the appropriate hospital boards. Others related to elderly persons who had not recently been ill
and these were referred to the Social Services Department, etc. Recommendations on behalf of school
children were mostly referred to the Inner London Education Authority which maintains two holiday
homes.

HANDICAP REGISTER
The Handicap Register is basically a central index of known handicapped children and young persons
up to the age of 21 and enables their development and welfare to be kept under constant review by means
of a Kalamazoo Factfinder System. In addition, details of handicapped children born from 1971 onwards
are added to the Child Health Computer File from which an output is obtained requesting reports from
Health Visitors every six months. The system is maintained under the supervision of the Principal Medical
Officer, Dr. Groves, and provides for children under 5 to be reviewed at six monthly intervals until they
attain school age, at which stage recommendations are made if they are considered to be in need of special
schooling; once at school they are reviewed annually, or more frequently if necessary.
The process of reviewing these children is necessarily associated with assessment of their special needs
and these procedures involve a considerable variety of specialised facilities and workers. Special Advisory
Clinics are held for the assessment of pre school age children with known handicaps or who have been
referred because of mild retardation, slowness in speech, non-communication, disturbed behaviour, etc;
referrals come from General Practitioners, Health Visitors, Day Nursery Matrons and Clinic Doctors. These
clinics are held in one of three centres serving the southern, central and northern parts of the Borough. Some
children are seen at Child Health Clinics, Day Nurseries, Play Groups or in their own homes. The Principal
Medical Officer sees each mother and child to obtain a full history and make a preliminary assessment of
the child and is assisted by the Clinical Psychologist, Mrs. Pahad. Subsequent assessments are made periodically
by Dr. Groves, Mrs. Pahad or Dr. Clarke.
If a full hospital investigation is needed, it is arranged after consultation with the child's General
practitioner; often children are already under a Paediatrician's care and the mobilisation of local resources
is often needed to help the mother and child. Placement in Play Groups, Day Nurseries or Voluntary
Grant-Aided Day Nurseries for Mentally Handicapped Children or in an Assessment Unit in a Day Physically
Handicapped School or other specialised centre may be considered. Speech thereapy, child guidance, etc.
may be recommended. Social support for the family may be sought. Each child's progress is watched and
if it is apparent that special education will be necessary efforts are made with the help of the Divisional
Education Officer to see that the child enters the most appropriate school at a suitable age. Once at school
each child will be followed up by the school doctor.
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