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A circular of Local Government Board was sent to Guardians on 31st
March, 1914.
Provisional regulations made by the Home Secretary ve certified institutions
or homes and approved homes, the duties of Guardians, etc., were issued
on 2nd April, 1914, forms and schedules therewith.
A circular of the Board of Control issued on 2nd April, 1914, as a sequel
to that of December, 1913, again called the attention of County Councils and
County Boroughs to their powers and duties under the Act.
Regulations with reference to mental deficiency (notification of children)
were issued by the Board of Education under date 26th June, 1914, and on the
17th July a Minute, the main purposes of which latter are (a) to provide for the
payment as from 1st April, 1914, of increased grants for schools for blind, deaf,
defective and epileptic children, (b) to establish a uniform school year commencing
on 1st April, 1915.
A Memorandum of the Board of Education and revised Regulations were
dated 31st August, 1914, which take the place of the provisional regulations
of 24th March, 1914; and revised model arrangements under section 31 (1) of
the Act and Section 1 (1) of the Elementary Education (defective and epileptic
children) Act, 1899.
In reply to an enquiry addressed to them on the subject, the Local Government
Board have stated that they and the Board of Control concur in the view
that the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, is not retrospective and that it operates
only in respect of those defectives who are found—since its operation—neglected,
abandoned, etc., and in respect of whom the necessary steps under the Act are
taken within a reasonable time after the finding takes place.
THE ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (defective and
epileptic children) ACT, 1914,
placed on Local Educational Authorities the duty of providing instruction for
educable mentally defective children. It comes into operation on
January 1st, 1915.