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SPECIAL SCHOOLS - SOCIAL WORK
In addition to the casework arising from referrals to Special Investigation Clinics, each full-time
school health social worker is responsible for the social work in a special school or partially hearing unit.
Working In close association with the Education Welfare Department, she is responsible for school attendance
and all aspects of general welfare of the children and their families, also undertaking casework with
pupils and their families as the need arises. During the past year this has involved on-going casework with
some 58 families.
SCHOOL NURSES' INSPECTIONS
Pupils have a comprehensive inspection annually, carried out by the school nurse, and where necessary
are referred for further investigation or treatment. 30,394 (28,168) pupils were so inspected during
the year and 1.78% (1.47%) were found verminous.
A further 8,547 (6,336) inspections were carried out at selected health surveys and vermin was
found in 2.78% (2.70%) of those inspections.
The number of individual pupils found verminous was 756 (506) or 2.30% (1.51%) of the school
rolls.
HEALTH EDUCATION
School nurses carried out health education, usually on an informal basis, during their normal nursing
duties in school. The activities of the Health Education Service in schools is described in the section of
this report on that subject.
REMEDIAL FOOT CLASSES
The head teachers of six schools in the Borough kindly continued to make the necessary arrangements
to enable classes to be held in their schools and teachers there co-operated by volunteering for and
carrying out this work. Classes were visited by a medical officer at the beginning and end of each term.
AUDIOLOGY
Infants were given a routine sweep test by school nurses as soon as possible after entry to school, and
any children in whom the test showed doubt as to normality of hearing were referred for a pure tone test
carried out by a specially trained school nurse. Sweep tests were carried out on 7,191 (5,941) children and
115 (99) had pure tone tests. All the latter were found to have defective hearing and were referred for
further investigation.
At the end of the year 114 (84) children were in attendance at audiology clinics. There were 28 (38)
clinic sessions held, at which the total of attendances was 269 (215). Hearing aids were provided to 9 (1)
children, and the total of children so provided and still attending Islington schools was 78 (111). Many of
these children come from other boroughs to attend the Frank Barnes School for the Deaf.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION CLINICS
Special investigation clinics were held for children suffering from obesity, enuresis and early emotional
problems. The school doctor could refer children to these clinics where advice was given and emotional
problems and management discussed with parents.
At the end of the year 388 (337) children were attending these clinics at six centres in the Borough.
Total attendances were 4,756 (1,694) and 63 (67) children were discharged cured.
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