London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Ilford 1929

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]

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147
(3) Feeble-minded Children.—Feeble-minded children are
those whose mental defectiveness does not amount to imbecility,
yet is so pronounced that they are incapable of receiving proper
benefit from instruction in an ordinary school. The Authority
responsible for the proper instruction of these children is the
Ilford Education Authority. There are (at the end of 1929) 60
such cases under the age of 16 years known to me, of whom 27
are attending public elementary schools in the district, 2 are
attending private schools, 1 is at a Convalescent Home, 14 are in
residential schools, and 22 are not at school (17 being over 14 years
of age).
All mentally defective children are visited at home by the
School Nurses at least once a quarter.
It will be seen that there are 46 educabie mentally defective
children from the Ilford elementary schools, for whom education
at a special school is required and for whom none has yet been
provided.
In addition to these, there are 6 mentally defective (feebleminded)
children under the age of 16 years at Mossford School
(Dr. Barnardo's Girls' Village Home).
At the present time, therefore, there is a total of 52 educabie
mentally defective children for whom special school provision is
required.
18, 19, 20. Nursery Schools, Secondary and Continuation
Schools.—Vide Annual Report, 1920.
21. Employment of School Children and Young Persons.
—From special enquiries made at the various schools during the
latter end of 1929 it was found that 120 children were employed
out of school hours. 4 children were submitted to me for medical
examination under Section III, paragraph 4, of the Byelaws
under the Provisions of Employment of Children Act, 1903, with
the following result
Medically fit 4