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social workers attached to the School Health Service, who arrange appointments
and act as liaison officers with the hospital, the Inner London Education
Authority, school care officers and school inquiry officers.
Treatment facilities provided directly by the local authority include vision
clinics (3 sessions weekly) in local authority premises, 1 orthoptic clinic and 4
special investigation clinics for treatment of enuresis, obesity and minor
behaviour problems. Minor ailments, accidents and foot care are provided for
in 5 Minor Ailment Clinics.
Recently opened is the Braidwood Audiology Clinic, situated in the
vicinity of the School for Deaf Children, and providing comprehensive assessment
for children with impairment of hearing and speech. The clinic is staffed by an
E.N.T. surgeon, an audiologist, and edui ational psychologist, speech therapist
and a social worker. An audiology centre also opened in February 1969 at
Barley Mow (Waterloo) Treatment Centre for North Lambeth children who fail
to pass pure tone tests.
Audiometry
All children in the primary schools in the Borough have a sweep test by
an experienced shcool nurse and those having hearing loss are followed up and
investigated. It is hoped that next year a sweep test will be provided routinely
in secondary schools as well.
Special educational problems
Many school children present complex problems of learning difficulties
and behaviour. Close co-operation with all agencies involved in the solution of
these problems helps with educational placement and provision of help to the
children, school staff and children's parents. The agencies involved include
teaching staff, school doctors, educational psychologist, child care officer, school
inquiry officer, probation officer, schoolcare organiser, psychiatrist, etc. There
is a shortage of places in E.S.N, schools and schools for maladjusted children in
the Borough, and efforts are being made by the Inner London Education
Authority to provide more vacancies.
Placement of children in residential schools is the responsibility of the
specialist staff at County Hall.
There is a large number of children in the Borough requiring language
stimulation and an early introduction to social life, therefore it is hoped that
next year a number of nursery school classes will be provided in ordinary
schools.