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28
At the beginning of the year 25 establishments were licensed and at
the end of the year the number licenced was 27. Two members of the
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists were in practice at the beginning
and end of the year.
(G) PROVISION FOR SPECIAL CLASSES OF PERSONS
The Deprived Child
The County Council as the local authority under the Children's Act
has a duty to take into care children under the age of seventeen who are
without parents or have been lost, or abandoned by, or are living away
from their parents or when their parents are unable to take care of them
and the intervention of the authority is necessary in the interests of the
welfare of the child. These children are either placed in residential homes
or boarded out with foster parents. In certain circumstances the authority
may assume parental rights of a child. It may also act as a fit person
under the Children and Young Persons Act, 1953, when the Court
commits a child to their care. It also has the responsibility for the supervision
of children who are maintained apart from their parents for reward.
In this area the work is carried out by the Area Children's Officer, Miss
Susan Boag, at Kynaston Court (Telephone No. Grimsdyke 3131).
The Mentally III and the Mentally Subnormal
The Health Committee of the County Council is responsible for the
mental health functions of the authority. The duties of the authority
include responsibility for the initial care and admittance to hospital of
patients who need to be dealt with under the Mental Health Act and for
the ascertainment and community care of the mentally subnormal.
Harrow is part of the central division of the County which is served
by Shenley Hospital. The Senior Mental Welfare Officer, Mr. D. L.
Richards, and other officers work at Balnacraig Avenue, Neasden,
N.W. 10., (Dollis Hill 7722). The services of a mental welfare officer out of
office hours can be obtained by telephoning County Ambulance Control
(Dryden 0231) who will arrange for the message to passed on to the
mental welfare officer who is on call. A consulting clinic is attended on the
morning of the fourth Wednesday in each month at the Clinic, Elmwood
Avenue, Kenton, by Dr. Fidler of the Mental Health Section of the
County Health Department. This is particularly useful for helping parents
with problems associated with the care of a mentally subnormal child.
Mentally subnormal children who do not need treatment in hospital
normally live with their parents and attend a junior training school at
which, in the earlier stages, emphasis is placed on habit training in order
to help the children to become socially adapted. The school for this area
is at present at Rayners Lane, but will be moving soon to new purposebuilt
premises at Whittlesea Road, which will undoubtedly be of great
benefit to these handicapped children. In addition, arrangements can be