View report page

ation of the Education (Handicapped Children) Act, 1970, after
which no child could be deemed as unsuitable for education in
school and all children whatever their degree of handicap should
attend a school suitable for their needs. In practical terms in this
borough the junior training centre and special care unit became a
new school under the name of Ravensbourne School signifying a
new approach to these children. These children now come within
the scope of the School Health Service and in common with children
who are attending special schools, close medical observation
is maintained to ensure that each child is not prevented by
medical reasons from reaching their maximum potential. Once a
handicap has been detected these children are followed up closely
with developmental assessments and with the help of the hospital
paediatric and the school psychological services. Regular case
meetings are held in all areas, when the needs of the child are
reviewed both as part of the family, and so that advice can be
given as to the best educational placement on reachingschool age.
The child is followed up through all the stages of its school life,
ending with a final assessment of the handicapped school leaver,
including consultation with the Youth Employment Officer and
Social Services department, should the degree of the final handicap
warrant this and through to placement of the handicapped
young person.
To obtain the full benefits of this diagnosis and assessment
process it is essential that the detection of the handicap is made
at a very early stage. It became increasingly apparent however,
that there was a need to concentrate these very specialised and
limited resources to the children in most need. It is also important
to educate mothers on the normal progress and development to be
expected from their baby so that early deviations from the normal
could be referred at an early stage for comprehensive developmental
examinations to be carried out. By this means the time of
clinic doctors can be concentrated on those babies who were
already exhibiting a possible handicap or because of the birth or
family history required special observation. Close observation of
these babies' development is also made by the health visitor in
the home.
Arrangements for this improvement in the early detection of
handicap were finalised towards the end of 1971 ready for implementation
in 1972. From this review of the situation it can be
seen that the child health service is a complete service to a child
2