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91
School Leavers—Choice of Employment.
At the routine medical inspection of the " Leaver " group of
children the opportunity is taken to discuss the choice of work
with the parent and the child. If the choice is thought to be
unsuitable in view of the health record of the child, advice is given
to the parents, and if necessary the Juvenile Employment Officer
is advised about any special difficulties. Very few children, outside
the severely handicapped, are unable to follow the trade or profession
they have set their hearts on. When the children left
school at the age of 14 years, and were therefore examined at the
age of 13 years, very few children had much idea of what they
wished to do. Now that they have another year in which to mature
before leaving school, this difficulty has been overcome in the
majority of cases.
One of our School Medical Officers collected this year a record
of the trades and professions selected by a group of 247 girls in
Secondary Modern Schools. Only 23 of them had no idea what
they wished to do, and one said she did not want to work at all.
Most appeared to select work in which they would quite probably
make a success.