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of the children having behaviour problems and home difficulties.
Often overcrowding, for which there is no immediate solution,
complicates the problem.
These clinics are run on an agency basis by the I.L.E.A. and
have the assistance of a social worker and a school nurse who
work in close co-operation with the School Care Organiser in the
Education Department and with the School Medical Officer.
Ear, nose and throat clinics
An average of five clinics a month have been held in four school
treatment centres during the year and at the end of the year 59
children were in attendance compared with 107 a year earlier.
I have commented on this branch of the school health service in
my introduction to this section of the report and in view of the
decreasing attendances, the need to continue these sessions is under
further review.
School Nursing Service
The work of the school nursing service during the year proceeded
uneventfully. The Tooting School Treatment Centre in Mitcham
Road closed in July and the services undertaken there were transferred
to the new purpose-built centre in Bevill Allen Close to
which I have referred earlier in this report. The sound-proofed
audiology room at the new centre has been fitted with modern
equipment and an improved service has resulted.
The Inner London Education Authority opened a new nursery
school in the Borough in 1969—the Eastwood Nursery School,
Aubyn Square, S.W.15.
A school nurse one again accompanied a party of children from
Chartfield School for delicate children on their annual school
journey. This year the party went to Ventnor, Isle of Wight.
B.C.G. vaccination of schoolchildren
The vaccination of children against tuberculosis with B.C.G.
(Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) was first introduced in London schools
in 1954 and has now become a routine procedure. This is normally
carried out every year in the autumn and spring terms and this
protective measure is offered to all eligible children aged 13 years.
Children whose skin tests show a negative result and who have
not been subject to tuberculous infection are vaccinated; children
showing a positive result are referred to the Chest Physicians for
X-ray and any further necessary investigation and treatment.