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74
The Young Mentally Handicapped Child
The reporting of every child as soon as mental handicap is
suspected, to the Section and full assessment at home by the
Senior Medical Officer continued as before. At the same time the
skills of Departmental Medical Officers have developed sufficiently
for the Department to have a fair picture of every child put
forward.
The Paediatrician whether working in local hospital or in
London is now very ready to ask the Medical Officer of Health
to provide appropriate service.
The families with young multiple handicapped children
awaited impatiently for the Special Care Unit at Woodbrook Junior
Centre to open and in line with long tradition more voluntary help
became available to fill the need.
Play Groups for Mentally Handicapped Children
St. Mary's Centre run by Hayes Church expanded further by
increasing the sessions from three to five a week.
The Council's financial support increased accordingly.
Beckenham Red Cross. The move to the new premises at Red
Cross House foreshadowed in the previous Report enabled the
Play Group to double the sessions from one to two per week.
Petts Wood Congregational Church. On the initiative of the
Church and with full support from the Senior Medical Officer, this
new play group opened in September, 1968, on one day per week,
soon to extend to two mornings per week.
All requests for admission are put forward through the
Senior Medical Officer who informally supervises the work of the
Play Groups and the progress of the children.
Every one of the three Play Groups can justly be proud of
their unqualified success. Every Play Group accepts multiple
handicapped children. One has only to see these children, many
totally helpless and some hyperactive and difficult to control to
appreciate the relief to the mothers. Every child benefits from
attending; the brighter child directly through stimulation, companionship
and skilful handling, the unresponsive child indirectly
through his mother being able to recharge her strength.