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56
(c) CO-OPERATION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
OFFICERS.
The Superintendent Attendance Officer and his staff have again
co-operated with the work of the School Medical Service, and there
is almost daily proof of the advantage resulting from it.
(d) CO-OPERATION OF VOLUNTARY BODIES.
(a) The Invalid Children's Aid Association.— The Association,
and especially its Secretary, Miss D. A. Lewis, has yet again
rendered very valuable help, notably at the rheumatism clinic, in
arranging for convalescent home treatment and in connection with
the after-care of children attending the Open Air School and
Brookfield Hospital. Miss Lewis kindly contributed the following
report and statistics relating to the work of the Walthamstow
Branch during 1938:—
"There was a slight increase in our work during 1938, and the
number of children sent away increased from 222 to 246. For the
first time, however, we record an appreciable drop in the average
length of stay, which fell below 12 weeks. This is probably because
no children were away 52 weeks, the longest stay being 44 weeks.
There were more cases of anaemia and debility, which is a little
disappointing following the improvement of the previous year.
"We missed the six Ventnor beds badly during the summer.
The children had to wait very long periods to get away, often as
much as two months. There also seemed to be general congestion
all round. I wondered whether more Authorities were paying for
children to go away and that this increased the numbers on waiting
lists. Otherwise it indicated that more children had been ill all
over London.