London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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COUNTY COUNCIL DAY SPECIAL SCHOOLS—ADMISSIONS
| County District in which Children reside | No. of new recommendations received during the year | No. of children admitted during the year | No. of children on waiting list at 31.12.55 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leinster Special School for Educationally Sub-Normal Pupils | |||
| Willesden | 31 | 33 | 5 |
| Ealing | 12 | 3 | 20 |
| Totals | 43 | 36 | 25 |
| Lower Place Special School for Physically Handicapped Pupils | |||
| Willesden | 10 | 13 | – |
| Wembley | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Harrow | 2 | 1 | – |
| Ruislip-Northwood | — | 1 | — |
| Hayes and Harlington | 1 | 1 | — |
| Ealing | 4 | 4 | — |
| Acton | 2 | 2 | — |
| Southall | — | — | — |
| Brentford and Chiswick | — | — | — |
| Heston and Isleworth | 1 | 1 | — |
| Uxbridge | 1 | — | — |
| Totals | 24 | 26 | 1 |
The Educational Sub-Normal Education Act, 1944—Sections 57(3), 57(4) and 57(5)
| 1955 | 1954 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases dealt with under section 57, Education Act, 1944:— | ||
| Sub-Section 3 | 10 | 11 |
| Sub-Section 4 | — | — |
| Sub-Section 5 | 26 | 28 |
| Cases de-notified under section 8, Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1948 | 1 | 1 |
CHILD GUIDANCE
The staff of the Child Guidance Centre at 22, Brondesbury Villas was increased during the year
by the addition of another psychiatric social worker and two part-time lay-psychotherapists. The number
of medical sessions remained at four a week.
59 cases were seen (Table 1) and the waiting list of 33 had increased to 63 by the end of the year
(Table 2).
Emphasis throughout the year has been on treatment. To be effective, treatment has often to be
intensive and prolonged, but the facilities available are inadequate and children have often had to wait
several months before treatment could be started and their condition deteriorated in the meantime. 25 cases
have received intensive treatment and have improved.
Regular conferences have been held with the Assistant Medical Officers, Health Visitors, Speech
Therapists and Probation Officers, in order to co-ordinate the many services now concerned with the mental
health of children. A liaison between the Child Guidance Centre and an Infant and Maternity Welfare
Clinic has also been started during the year.
Table 1
| (Reasons for referring the 59 cases seen) | |
| Lack of progress in school | 10 |
| Behaviour problem at home | 20 |
| Enuresis and encopresis | 5 |
| Non-attendance at school | |
| Phobias | 1 |
| Stealing | 10 |
| Inhibited behaviour | 5 |
| Aggressive behaviour | 6 |
| 59 | |