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178
SECTION IX.
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; two whole-time
visitors; the supervisor at the Occupational Centre, with three
helpers.
In April, 1929, the Council established a small home at 5,
Morland Road, for the reception of 20 low grade mentally deficient
boys under the age of 16 years. This institution closed on
September 15th, 1934, the Croydon cases remaining being transferred
to the Queen's Road Institution.
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 ages 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.