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To deal with the 20 children in attendance an extra journey is made by one of the school
ambulances after children have been conveyed to Furness Road Physically Defective School. The
school is consequently unable to commence the morning session until 10.45 a.m., and the ambulance
is not free to return for these children until 4.30 p.m. The result is that several of the children do not
arrive home until after 5 p.m.
Having only one teacher at this school, younger children from 6 to 8 years were specially
selected to simplify teaching. The school hours, therefore, and the time spent in travelling to and
from school are too long for children of this age, who are, without exception, less robust than
children attending an ordinary school, and towards the end of the afternoon the children frequently
show signs of weariness—and this is especially marked during the winter.
The appointment of a second Teacher is dependent upon an improved ambulance service,
and until this is piovided no further use can be made of the accommodation available, although
there are children awaiting admission to both physically defective schools. Again, if the whole
school could be utilised the present school house could be altered to the benefit of the children in
attendance.
A trained nurse acts as Nurse Ambulance Attendant, and supervises the general physical
welfare of the children during school hours, and also gives the daily treatment frequently required
for conditions arising in conjunction with the physical defects from which these children suffer. The
school is visited every month by one of the Medical Officers, and after re-examination of the children
the parents are notified of any defect requiring attention.
After Care.—The after careers of Physically and Mentally Defective Children is undertaken
in Willesden by a Voluntary Committee.
Children leaving the Special Schools and requiring after care are notified to the Committee
as a matter of routine.
The cases are visited during the year, revisited when necessary, and a general record kept
of each case receiving supervision.
Trade depression and the closing down of works during the year has been responsible for a
good deal of unemployment among the physically defective cases, although previously doing well
and in regular employment.
For these cases the difficulty of obtaining fresh employment is increased, as owing to their
physical disability alternative work is usually impossible.
The mentally defective cases are less severely affected. Employment with them is invariably
of a temporary nature in a blind alley or precarious occupation.
Unsatisfactory mentally defective cases found to require more than after care are reported to
the Middlesex County Council for institutional treatment, but there is usually considerable delay,
frequently two to three years elapsing before the cases are placed.
An Occupational Centre, under the charge of the After-Care Committee, was opened at 225,
High Road, Kilburn.
A few children attend on Wednesday mornings, and are taught the most elementary games
and hand work.
As the children in attendance are feeble-minded (ineducable) or imbeciles awaiting transference
to an institution, the work undertaken has very little, if any, educational value attached to it, although
a source of enjoyment to the children.
Examination of Teachers.—Sixty teachers were examined during the year by the School
Medical Service, and all were certified physically fit to perform the duties of a teacher.
SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Medical inspection of the two Secondary Schools in Willesden, namely, the Kilburn Grammar
School and the Polytechnic Day Trade School, has been carried out on similar lines to last year, at
the request of and by arrangement with the Middlesex County Council. Particulars of the examinations
will be found in the Tables accompanying this report.
DENTAL WORK.
5,861 school children and 687 expectant and nursing mothers and children under five years
of age were dealt with by the two Dentists employed by the Council during the year. Of the school
children 4,812 came under notice at routine inspection, 3,278 for the first time and 1,534 who had been
previously treated by the Dentists at periods varing from six months to 3½ years previously. It is
satisfactory to record that 9 per cent. more children were found with no defect amongst those previously
treated than those inspected for the first time, which shows that a large amount of permanent
work has been done, especially when it is borne in mind that in many cases three years had elapsed
between the inspections.
HOME NURSING.
The work of the Home Nursing Service has shown steady progress during the year 1921.
840 cases were nursed during 1921, as against 681 during 1920; 18,077 visits were paid during the
year, or an average of 10 visits per Nurse on each working day. Of these 7,353 were paid to mothers
and children under five, 4,677 to school children, and 6,047 to others. Difficulty was experienced