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145
free and easy and regular case discussion meetings with the
teachers, the Education Psychologists and Dr. Rodriguez took
place at St. Paul's Wood Hill and at the Bromley Hospital
Psychiatry Department.
The Ascertainment Team for the hearing impaired has met
regularly at St. Paul's Wood Hill. The Educational Psychologists,
the Medical Officers and Teachers of the Deaf have worked very
harmoniously together.
Generally, it is pleasant to report that good working relationships
were maintained within the Service and with colleagues and
officers both in the Education and in the Health Departments.
Looking back over 1970/71, I am able to state with confidence
that the School Psychological Service has met the challenge
of special education with good spirit and has endeavoured
to provide a balanced service for the Borough. Results this year
have confirmed that group work and training schemes for
teachers are proving worthwhile preventive measures and this
aspect of the Service would need to be developed and refined.
Audiology Service
Two Medical Officers have particular responsibilities in this
field and I am happy to submit this report: —
It has been a year of consolidation in this field marking a
further step towards the realisation of our aims and objectives.
These can be defined as follows: —
1. To identify any infant, child or adolescent who fails to
respond to the age-appropriate screening test of hearing.
2. To identify any child with delayed or disordered language
development which could signify an underlying hearing
loss.
3. To refer screening failures to the Audiology Clinic or to
hospital, with the concurrence of the child's General
Practitioner, for diagnostic investigations which will
either confirm the existence of a loss or, alternatively,
reveal another cause than deafness.
If a hearing loss is confirmed the extent is then measured,
the nature of the loss investigated and the aetiology
determined. Referral for suitable treatment follows.
4. To refer language disordered children, concerning whom
we have a very good working relationship with the
Speech Therapy service. These children as outlined above,
are primarily investigated for any hearing difficulties, and
secondarily examined in their general development with
particular reference to the areas of receptive and expressive
language.