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53
FINDINGS OF MEDICAL INSPECTION.
(a) Unclcanliness.
In my Annual Report for 1923, I set out in detail the
procedure adopted on discovery by a School Nurse at her
inspections that a child has an unclean head, and drew
attention to the fact that in cases where legal proceedings
were eventually taken under the School Attendance ByeLaws,
some three or four months elapsed between the
original action by the School Nurse and the appearance of
the parent before the Justices.
I drew attention to this fact in subsequent Annual
Reports, since it was evident that certain parents, whose
children were frequently found unclean, were aware of the
existing procedure and knew quite well that they would be
given warning over a long period before a decision to
prosecute was reached.
They took advantage of the circumstances to keep
girls at home to " mind the baby," without attempting to
cleanse them until the last moment before a Committee
Meeting.
This Summer the procedure has been considerably
shortened by the Education Committee authorising the
Chairman and Vice-Chairman to act.
The following system is now adopted :—
On discovery that a child has an unclean head, a School
Nurse sends the child home with a notice to the parent
calling attention to the fact with instructions for the child
to report at the Clinic on the following morning.
If the verminous condition is not remedied forthwith,
the child is brought before the School Medical Officer, who
excludes her from School, when the Education Secretary
sends a warning letter to the parent, stating that unless
the child reports clean within seven days, legal proceedings
will be taken for contravention of the School Attendance
Bye-Laws.
This System was commenced after the Summer holidays
with the result that six prosecutions were made in the
early Autumn and fines were imposed in every case.