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one more centre for ordinary schools was opened, one was started at the Children's
department residential establishment at Banstead and one experimental clinic was started
in a day school for educationally subnormal children. At this time the speech therapy
staff consisted of one senior therapist (whole-time), one whole-time assistant therapist
and four part-time therapists; a senior medical officer was charged with general supervision.
Expansion of the service was rapid from then on, 23 centres in 1951 and three more
whole-time therapists, with 536 children under treatment at the end of the year and a
waiting list of 296.
The experiment of conducting clinics in the schools for educationally subnormal children
proved to be useful, time was saved, escorts were not needed and closer contact between
school and therapists was possible. In general, progress was found to be slower than in
normal clinics, but progress was made and these clinics in special schools have continued.
These centres in special schools treated 205 children. In this year the service was extended
to some severely handicapped children confined to their homes and having home tuition.
There has never been a large number of such cases, but each year has produced two or
three.
The day schools for physically handicapped children had always had a number of children
in need of speech therapy and in 1952 arrangements were made for a therapist to visit
regularly 16 such schools. A start was made in some of the boarding special schools, too.
Throughout the years difficulty has been experienced in keeping the boarding schools
supplied and some schools have had long gaps when there has been no therapist. In
particular those at a distance from London have been unfortunate. A therapist living
nearby is wanted but this ideal state usually does not exist and some schools are supplied
by a therapist travelling from London.
There were 28 remedial clinics for day schools and 22 educationally subnormal day
school clinics in 1952. There had been 778 new admissions and the total of children under
treatment reached 1,059.
During the next two years there was further expansion. In December, 1954 there were
1,135 children having tuition in 38 normal centres and 1,483 under treatment in 26 day
educationally subnormal, 17 day physically handicapped and five residential schools.
The staff had grown to one senior speech therapist, 12 full-time, three part-time and seven
sessional therapists. It was about this time that the issue of free-paid bus tickets for children
attending various types of clinics came under consideration and it was decided to stop the
use of these tickets. This apparently simple decision caused much despondency amongst
stammering children, who could not always bring themselves to ask the school teacher for
the fare, much less ask for their ticket on the bus. It was clear too that difficulty would be
caused in cases of severe dyslalia and dysphasia, because of the difficulty in being understood.
It was decided that tickets for special clinics would continue to be available and the
easing of tension could almost be felt.
Speech therapy was extended in 1957 to two occupation centres, now junior training
centres, for an experimental period of one year. In 1957 the number of children under
treatment exceeded 2,000, with 270 on the waiting list in December; 124 sessions had been
worked each week in 41 centres for children from ordinary schools and 78 sessions each
week in 41 day special schools. Authority to start speech therapy in all junior occupation
centres was given in 1958. In December, 72 children in the occupation centres were having
treatment. In the same year a number of portable tape recorders were supplied for use in
the clinics, following a period of experiment with one recorder kept in one clinic. Therapists
can take these light machines from centre to centre themselves and keep a supply of tapes
in each centre as may be required. The waiting list increased and stood at 322 at the end of
1958. An increase in staff the following year enabled more sessions to be worked and the
waiting list to be reduced to 272.
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