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presenting difficulties in behaviour or of educability were referred to a case conference
of senior officers of the Education Officer's and School Medical Officer's
departments in each of the nine divisions into which London is divided for education
and health purposes. Suitable cases were referred by the conferences to child
guidance clinics provided by hospitals, by voluntary associations, and by the Council.
Treatment was free.
The number of children referred for the first time to case conferences during
the year 1949-50 was 1,558. An analysis of the new cases showed that the main
methods of initial action taken were as follow :—
Referred to child guidance units (this included those children referred
to units privately and subsequently reported to the conferences) 1,026
Placed under supervision of Care Committee 108
Referred for medical examination and/or treatment 98
Referred for admission to special day classes for the maladjusted 90
Referred for statutory educationally subnormal examination 52
Deferred for further enquiry 59
Miscellaneous (included juvenile court cases, and cases referred to
N.S.P.C.C., moral welfare workers, voluntary societies for residential
placement and others, for example, the Children's Officer) 125
1,558
The total number of the children considered (i.e. new and old cases) represented
0.78 per cent. of the primary and secondary school population.
The most encouraging feature of the figures, indicating the progress in dealing
with current and previous cases, was that 702 children were no longer considered as
problems and this represented an increase of 129 over the figure of the previous year.
Other children were dealt with as follows :—
157 were placed in boarding accommodation as maladjusted
75 were on the waiting list for such accommodation
868 were under treatment at child guidance units
196 were on the waiting list to attend the units
136 were placed in special classes for the maladjusted
933 were dealt with in a variety of ways, e.g., given supervision by Care Committee,
referred for medical treatment, statutory E.S.N, examination, N.S.P.C.C.
moral welfare workers, etc.,
At the end of the year there were 11 special day classes for the maladjusted
operating in eight divisions.
Although 33 more maladjusted children were placed in boarding establishments
than during the previous year, the numbers on the waiting list did not decrease.
Vacancies were delayed in many instances as great difficulty was experienced in
improving home conditions and this prolonged the length of stay away from home
of those in the boarding establishments. During the year two new boarding schools
for the maladjusted were established at Dromenagh and Buckshaw House.
The Council's boarding accommodation for maladjusted children was as
follows:—
(1) Bredinghurst School, Peckham Rye, S.E.15.—45 boys most of whom
attend local schools, some of the younger children being educated on the premises.
(2) Dromenagh School (opened April, 1950), Iver Heath, Bucks.—17 boys
and girls educated on the premises.
(3) Buckshaw House, Holwell, Dorset (opened September, 1950).—32 boys
and girls; some of the senior children educated in local schools.
There were 312 maladjusted children in residence at other schools belonging to
the Council or in non-Council schools or hostels or boarded out with foster parents.
Use was made of 73 establishments not maintained by the Council.