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personal contact required in 5 very active Special Schools. Mrs. Robertson
and the therapists working with her have attended P.T.A. meetings and a
number of other school functions in the evening as well as case conferences,
special clinics etc. The Special Schools do appear to be an area of
particularly rapid growth at the moment and during 1971 demand will again
outstrip available staff.
During the year the regular assessment visits to normal schools were
made the responsibility of Mrs. Costerton, the Deputy Principal. Over 30
visits to schools were made during 1970 and the question of Speech Therapists
working in schools has been brought up again. The possibility of a
carefully regulated pilot scheme to examine the practicalities of these proposals
is being considered. Work with speech defective children from normal
schools is the core of the service in the Borough. The availability of staff
has made it possible to reduce waiting lists to a very respectable level
although two vacancies at the end of the year may cause an increase in the
numbers awaiting therapy if they are not filled early in 1971. A fully
staffed Speech Therapy Section is almost unknown in this country and is a
sure indication of the respect with which the Profession views the Service
in Croydon. Every effort is made to maintain this high standard by making
the work challenging and rewarding for the staff as well as effective in
fulfilling the needs of the Borough. The Deputy, together with the Principal
Therapist have addressed a number of Toddlers Clubs, W.I. meetings etc.
The West Thornton Unit has 10 children on the register, having discharged
7 and taken on 5 new cases during the year. Of the 7 discharged
4 have gone to normal schools, 2 to schools for the deaf or hard of hearing
and one to a residential school for the maladjusted. A second teacher has
been appointed to cope with the wide range of abilities and handicaps and
it is hoped that the second classroom, approved earlier in the year, will
become manifest during 1971. The work of the Unit has been made much
easier by the starting of a trial term during which new entrants can be
properly assessed and a termly case conference to consider treatment objectives,
assessments and discharges etc.
During the year two therapists, Miss Moses and Miss Brownlow who
was responsible for the West Thornton Unit, left. Miss Enot was appointed
as the Sections' first Clerk Receptionist. At the end of the year we are one
Senior and one therapist short of fully staffed. I would like to thank the
present staff for the steady work of treating children often long term, handicapped
cases which they have maintained throughout the year.
I must also note the retirement of Dr. C. Worster-Drought who first came
to us as Consultant in Speech Disorders in 1961. Dr. Worster-Drought has
been able to put at our disposal the great experience he has gained over
many years of dealing with speech disorders in children and adults. His help
and advice were particularly valuable in the setting up of the West Thornton
Unit. The work of Consultant has been taken over by Dr. R. Hierons of the
Brook Hospital.