View report page

44
the efforts made to provide more fully for backward children in
the schools has diminished the number of dull children who come
to the notice of their teachers by reason of disturbance or antisocial
behaviour.
Table V. Age.
The ages of children referred to the centre have been tabulated,
and as far as the school population goes there is very little variation
in the numbers from age to age. Over the age of 15 there is a
much smaller school population, and it is natural that the numbers
in this group should be smaller. In the first two years of school
life it is also understandable that children in trouble will not have
been noticed. What is to be regretted, however, is the very small
number of children under school age. Any consideration of the
problems we see, makes it obvious that very many, if not the
majority of difficulties begin at a very early age., Many of the
less serious problems could have been guarded against by help
to the parents of babies and toddlers, and some of the most tragic
situations could have been avoided altogether, if some machinery
had existed for bringing them to light at their inception.
Table VI. Special Recommendations.
17 children were recommended by us for removal from home,
and as already pointed out, this does not by any means cover the
number of children for whom some change is not only desirable,
but almost imperative. Of the 17 children, 11 were recommended
for boarding school placement, and of these 8 are now placed.
At the end of last year there remained 7, for whom no vacancy
had been obtained. 5 remained in urgent need of placement, but
although removal from home remains in our opinion desirable for
the other two, their parents are no longer willing to accept this
solution. One of these is a boy nearing the end of his school life
for whom other adjustment will therefore soon become possible,
but the other is a young child who still gives cause for anxiety
and will almost certainly present a more serious problem in the
future.
Conclusion.
It is evident that there is no slackening in the need for the
routine services of the centre, and all members of the staff have
been working under pressure which shows no signs of diminishing,
in addition, the more general side of the work has become better
known to schools, to the probation service and to welfare workers
in the district, and there has been a great demand for visits to the
centre, and for visits from members of our staff to explain the work