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57
Heavy work continued to be thrown upon the teaching and attendance staff,
etc., of the education officer's department, and the thanks of the service are due to
them for the results achieved.
During the year there was a marked increase in the number of cases of scalp
ringworm. Throughout the war years the incidence of this disease in London had
been small, but extensive outbreaks were reported from other parts of the country.
With the cessation of hostilities the return of children from all over the country almost
certainly resulted in the marked increase in the number of cases in London. Treatment
by X-ray continued to be the method of choice; and, in addition to the arrangements
made with certain voluntary hospitals, facilities were provided by the Council
for out-patients at Hammersmith Hospital and for in-patients at Goldie Leigh
Hospital.
Ringworm
Child guidance
Reference was made in the report for 1943 to the decision of the Education
Committee that, in order to ensure that "problem" children should at the earliest
moment be given appropriate help, a conference of officers should be established as
an experiment for one year in each of the nine educational divisions. The conferences
began in June, 1944, and, except for disturbance by the flying bomb attack, have
continued uninterruptedly since. They have been of particular assistance in the
difficult task of ascertaining whether children are handicapped by reason of maladjustment—one
of the new categories of handicapped children for whom special
educational treatment has to be provided under the Education Act, 1944.
All recommendations by these case conferences for child guidance treatment
receive the formal concurrence of the school medical officer before the child is officially
referred to a child guidance clinic. For each child so referred to voluntary child
guidance clinics, a payment is made to the clinic at the rate of 15s. for the first visit,
and 5s. for each subsequent visit. During 1945, the Council accepted financial
liability on this basis for 452 children. At the end of the year there were arrangements
for treatment at eight voluntary child guidance clinics, and in addition children
were referred to the children's department of the Council's Maudsley Hospital.
Teaching of mothercraft in schools
It has been the practice, for many years, for instruction in mothercraft to be
given in the Council's schools as part of the course in domestic science, stress being
particularly laid upon the care of the toddler rather than the young baby.
During the latter part of 1944, following discussion with the Education Officer's
department, it was decided to give more specific instruction to older girls in the care
and routine of the babe. A comprehensive syllabus was drawn up, talks were
arranged ranging from the objects of mothercraft through the routine care and feeding
of, to the physical and mental development of, the child, with a final talk on the social
services available for the mother and child.
The course comprised twelve lectures, each of about 40 minutes, with added
time for practical demonstration and discussion. The lecturers were school nursing
sisters with special experience. Courses were given in five secondary (former central)
schools and were an unqualified success. By the middle of 1945 the arrangements
were in operation at ten schools, and it is proposed to extend these courses to more
schools when additional suitably qualified nursing staff become available.
Nursery schools and classes, war-time nurseries, flay corners and play centres
Before the war there were five nursery schools maintained by the Council and
eighteen voluntary nursery schools in London which were aided by the Council.
These schools closed on the outbreak of hostilities and the children were evacuated.
Under the Education Act, 1944, the Council, as local education authority, is required
to provide suitable accommodation for children from two to five years of age, although