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Total number of hearing impaired children in December,
1970: 186.
This total figure represents an increase since December, 1969,
the most significant change occurring in the group of children in
ordinary schools with a hearing defect but no hearing aid. This is
occasioned not by an increase in the incidence of minor hearing
losses, but by wider reporting of such cases. The Medical Officers
in the Department now hold weekly clinics for assessing new cases
and reviewing old ones, and this is welcomed for keeping all concerned
in the Health and Education Departments in close touch
with each other and with urgent cases or problems.
Two of the nine school leavers at the end of the Summer
Term were accepted at the Brixton College of Further Education,
which has a Teacher of the Deaf on the Staff and facilities for
the further education or training of hearing impaired school
leavers. Such arrangements are practically non-existent elsewhere
and these boys are fortunate in being able to take advantage of
the Brixton scheme. A girl has been offered a place at Dartford
College of Education for September, 1971, and a boy of 12 was
accepted at the Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf, Newbury,
where competition for places is keen.
Two Russaid radio-microphones have now been purchased
for severely deaf children in hearing schools. Teachers, parents
and children are very conscious of the help given by this method
of amplified communication the potential of which has not yet been
fully developed.
Twenty-three children are having a weekly session with a
Peripatetic Teacher either at home, in school or at the Audiology
Clinic, Beckenham. Some of these children would benefit from
more attention from a Teacher of the Deaf or in a partially hearing
unit, but it would be imposing too great a strain on the resources
at Darrick Wood to include them alongside the severely deaf
children.
All the Teachers of the Deaf owe grateful thanks to many in
the Health and Education Departments without whose interest,
co-operation and help the effectiveness of their work would be
much reduced.
Handicapped Pupils
It is the duty of the local authority to ascertain those children
in its area who, having attained the age of two years, may require
special educational treatment. These children usually come to the
attention of the School Health Service through the Health Visitors,
the Chief Education Officer, Parents and Hospitals.
The officially recognised types of handicaps are: Blind,
Partially Sighted, Deaf, Partially Hearing, Physically Handicapped,