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The department suffered a loss in the retirement of Mr.C.Pomfret after forty years faithful
service. Mr.Pomfret was a most able inspector and a likeable colleague and I would like to place
on record his outstanding ability and devotion to service.
Three student public health inspectors - Messrs.R.H.Meadows, K.R.Simpson and I.M.Smith
who were successful in passing their final examinations during the year were appointed to
vacancies on the establishment.
B.J.Ashcroft
Chief Public Health Inspector
Mothers and Children
About one third of the babies born to Waltham Forest mothers during the year were
considered to be at risk of possible congenital handicap because of difficulties experienced at or
around the time of birth. These will all be followed up at regular intervals. 943 children were
removed from the register after two years supervision as having no handicap, and 81 were transferred
to the pre-school handicap register as children with defects likely to require special help
or supervision.
Although the Audiology Unit is not yet fully staffed or equipped it has proved invaluable
for the examination and follow-up of babies and children found to be deaf at screening testing or
for the examination of those too difficult for screening under ordinary Clinic conditions. It will be
even better when full facilities are available.
Once handicaps have been found, help must be given at once. We ensure that all are
attending hospitals and check unkept appointments. The Peripatetic Teacher of the Deaf, the
Speech Therapists, and the Physiotherapists all play their part. Wherever possible, the child is
enabled to mix with other children. Where feasible the child attends a Day Nursery but to prevent
detriment to all the children because of extra work involved, no more than 10% can be admitted.
Others attend Development Sessions in the Clinics and some of the severely retarded children
attend the special group for the severely subnormal. In all these groups the children are watched
by trained staff so that in addition to the help given at the time a more realistic placement can be
made at school age. Day Nursery waiting lists at times reached a total of 170 - sufficient to fill 3
more Nurseries.
New students were admitted to the Day Nurseries at the beginning of the academic year
and all except one(who was ill at the time) who sat the examination after two years study and
practical work were successful.
THE SCHOOL CHILD
As marked defects of vision, hearing and physical disabilities are fortunately comparatively
few among children from Waltham Forest, children come fromother authorities to the Schools for the
Partially Sighted, Partially Deaf and Physically Handicapped.
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