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and facilitates the transfer of information and a closer follow-up
of the handicapped child. The criteria determining whether or not
a child's name is placed on the register are closely defined and
only about 8% of the total live-born children are placed on the
register within one month of birth. This number includes newborn
babies with malformations or congenital abnormalities, and
those with a history of genetic defect or pre-natal history with
possible relevance to future handicap. All children on the register
are regularly examined for defects and developmental screening
tests are carried out periodically. This ensures that any abnormality
will be detected at an early stage.
Clinic doctors, general practitioners, hospital specialists and
health visitors continue to play an important part in the follow-up
of children on the register. Special visiting of those who are not
taken to any child health clinic and often fail to attend hospital
is carried out by the health visitor. In some of these difficult
cases the health visitor makes arrangements for the child to be
taken to hospital, and occasionally helps the mother by taking the
child herself. Sometimes a home help has to be provided; at other
times a mother may need to be assisted if she has difficulty in
travelling to the hospital. In addition to the children initially
placed on the register, notifications are received about those whose
development is delayed or who have suffered from an acute or
chronic illness which may threaten their future health. After
accident or injury a child is placed on the register and is visited
more often.
A number of physically handicapped children are in the care of
the Children's Officer, and even those without any physical handicap
who happen to be in care are considered to be at risk of
abnormal development owing to their emotional deprivation in
early childhood. Hence, practically all children in care are considered
to be at risk and an exchange of information with the
Children's Officer helps us to decide finally about their physical
and psychological progress. Sometimes children are taken into
care on the special recommendation of the health visitor who is
well placed to note symptoms of deprivation and neglect.
There is also a constant exchange of information with the Welfare
Department about blind and partially-sighted children, and
the names of school-leavers who wish to be registered as persons
with severe handicaps are notified to the Chief Welfare Officer.
The close co-operation established in previous years with the
Medical Adviser of the Inner London Education Authority has
continued. All young children with severe special handicaps or
multiple defects are notified to the Authority well before they
reach school age so that planning for educational provision for
these most difficult cases can be done whenever there is a hope of
the child's being educable.