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Introduction
The School Health Service is one of the most important sections
of the services directed towards the prevention of illness and the
maintenance of the health of children and young people.
The entry of a child into school at the age of five years is a
great landmark in his growth and development. For most children
it is the first occasion when he will be separated from the
mother and the family for any length of time and the child then
begins his independent existence. He comes into contact with
groups of other children so that the chances of his contracting
infectious diseases are increased although at the same time, owing
to his contact with his fellows, he is exposed to " small doses " of
infection (latent immunization) which, in most cases, will help him
to build up his resistance. He is also exposed to other influences
new to him consequent upon his entering this new environment.
It is very important that, during this vital period of his development,
the child should be watched carefully and everything should
be done to safeguard his health. At the same time, everything
should be done to ensure that each child is able to take full advantage
of the educational facilities to which he has a right.
A child who is afflicted with a physical or mental handicap
might not be able to derive full benefit from attending an ordinary
school and so it is necessary to ascertain those children suffering
from handicaps and to recommend the type of education which is
best suited to their needs. Some children can best be educated in
special schools where due regard is paid to the disability under
which they are suffering.
The School Health Service, being a part of the Education Service,
is the responsibility of the Education Authority and in Inner
London this is the Inner London Education Authority. In Wandsworth,
the ultimate responsibility for the School Health Service,
as for the Education Service generally, therefore, rests with the
Inner London Education Authority. The service, however, is
basically a local service and so it was required that the Inner
London Education Authority and each Inner London Borough,
including Wandsworth, should prepare a scheme for the joint
administration of the Service, to be submitted for approval by the
Minister of Education and Science. At the end of the year, although
a scheme had been submitted it had not then been approved,
although at the time of writing approval has been received.
Under the scheme, although the ultimate responsibility for this
Service remains, as stated above, with the Inner London Education
Authority and the Medical Adviser of that authority is the
final adviser on school health matters, the arrangements are such
that the routine work is carried out locally. The Medical Officer
of Health of the London Borough is the Principal School Medical
Officer and there is a joint user of staff and premises. This is a