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Co-ordination at special schools: In view of the problems of co-ordination at
special schools where there may be children from many different boroughs, information
on the progress of the children should be passed to the medical officers of the
home boroughs. It would also be an advantage to attach a social worker (health
services) to each school.
Early consultation about a handicapped child's future: The welfare officer and
the mental welfare officer should be consulted about a handicapped child's future
much earlier than at present and should be kept informed right through the Child's
school life about how he is progressing in case they can do something for him in
his own home and to put them in a better position to care for him when he leaves
school.
Immigrants and new entrants to an area: All parties concerned will look out for
new entrants into the borough with handicaps and refer them to the medical officer
of health for inclusion in the register, and subsequent action. This will apply
particularly to immigrants.
Special education: The existing procedure with regard to recommendations for the
provision of special education should be kept under constant review.
Publicity: Each borough should prepare a simple pamphlet setting out all the
services available for handicapped children and there should also be a clearly
defined and well-publicized centre in each borough to which parents can go for
information about all the services available for their handicapped child.
Attachment of local authority social workers to hospitals: The medical officer
of health and the chief welfare officer will consult the hospitals in the borough
and the Inner London Medical Committee and local general practitioners on the means
of extending co-operation, including participation in the compilation of the handicapped
register.
The medical officer of health furnishes the education officer annually with an estimate
of future demands for special education for certain categories of handicap: The statistical
use of the register will include the possibility of forecasting trends of
need, e.g. to the education officer for special education places and to the chief
welfare officer for services for handicapped adults. Ultimate use of the computer
will be considered.
By the end of the year, arrangements were well under way for a complete review of
the existing observation and handicapped registers, for consultation with all other
agencies concerned, both statutory and voluntary, and for putting into effect the accepted
recommendations of the working party as referred to above.
35.