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184
SECTION IX.—MISCELLANEOUS.
MENTAL DEFICIENCY.
The staff of the department dealing with the mentally defective
consists of the Medical Officer of Health and the Deputy
Medical Officer, who are certifying officers; one whole-time
visitor; the teacher at the Occupation Centre, with three helpers.
In April, 1929, the Council established a small home at 6,
Morland Road, for the reception of 20 low grade mentally deficient
boys under the age of 16 years.
There are two main administrative groups of mentally defectives,
viz.:—
(a) The Statutory Cases, who consist of certified mental
defectives under 7 and over 16 years of age: ineducable mentally
defective children between the ages of 7 and 16 years; and children
referred to the Local Control Authority under the Mental
Deficiency Act, 1913, as being incapable of further education at a
Special School or of being incapable of such education without
detriment to other children.
(b) Education Cases, who consist of mentally defective
children between the age of 7 and 16 who are capable of instruction
in a Special School. The former group are dealt with by the
Mental Deficiency Committee, and the latter by the Education
Committee.
The largest number of notifications of children suspected to
be suffering from mental defects are received from School
Teachers and the School Attendance Officers. Sources of information
regarding cases not coming within the category of school
children are mainly the Infant Welfare Centres, Health Visitors,
and Probation Officers.