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HEALTH EDUCATION
In January, the Health Education Section, with the rest of the Health Department,
moved to Barking. The new offices are now in East Street, with the Health Education Centre
at the Old Faircross School in Hulse Avenue.
Once again, as far as this section was concerned, 1972 had its share of staff changes; we
welcomed to the section in March, Mr. J. Fisher to succeed Mrs. Kasim as Assistant Health
Education Officer, and finances enabled us at last to fill the post of the second assistant in October,
but unfortunately she was indisposed one month later and was still off sick at the end of the year.
It is most pleasing to note that the demand for health education in the Borough still grows.
Health Education in Schools, Colleges and Teacher's Centre
The demand for "specialised health subjects" in schools has been maintained, the main
topics being Human Relationships. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Contraception, Conception
and Development of the Foetus, Birth and the Addictions are included in this subject.
A second Comprehensive School invited us to participate in a Family Group - Learning
together - Sex Education evening for first year pupils. The response of the parents, pupils and
teaching staff was overwhelming, over four hundred people attended. Thanks are due to the
school staff for all their cooperation and help.
The Child Care Course for the basic certificate of the National Association for Maternal
and Child Welfare remains very popular and all oral examinations were carried out by staff from
the Health Education section. The Health Education Officer was invited, in an advisory capacity,
to attend a committee meeting held by the teachers at Westbury School, to submit a Mode 3
C.S.E. syllabus on "Family Care" to the East Anglian Examinations Board.
The General Studies Department of Barking College again asked for help with the
"specialised topics" of the health education programme to both day and block release students.
A total of eighty-one hours has been given to this during the year.
A preview for all teachers of 16 mm films on health topics, which can be borrowed free
of charge from the Health Department, was held on four consecutive Monday evenings during
October, at the Teacher's Centre, Westbury School.
North East London Polytechnic - Teacher's Training Course
The Health Education Officer was again invited to give a lecture and demonstration on
the "Use of Visual Aids in Health Teaching", to the student teachers attending the above course
and one half day was given for this purpose.
The attendance was good.
British Red Cross Society - Public Health and Hygiene Course
A course on Public Health and Hygiene was organised by the Health Education section
in conjunction with the British Red Cross Society - Barking and Dagenham Division. Eight
weekly two-hour lectures were given by various members of the Local Authority Health and
Housing Departments. In spite of electricity cuts the course was well attended and a hundred
per cent examination pass was achieved.
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