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The pre-school child enters the register by way of medical examination and assessment
from data gathered from many sources during the preceding months or years. Infants are initially
seen at Child Health Centres where a careful history is taken of mother's pregnancy and her
subsequent confinement. The child is physically examined and if anything is found to be abnormal
or unusual or the history points to a possible future medical condition, the child is placed on an
Observation Register for future careful assessment at regular intervals. This ensures prompt and
accurate treatment if a physical defect develops and if considered necessary, early warning is
given to the School Health Service. A child may be included in the Observation Register at any
time after its birth should any disabling condition arise; similarly many children leave the register
at varying times when periodic reviews show that they are developing normally. This latter is the
usual pattern for the majority of children originally screened. One is then left with a small number
of handicapped pre-school children whose educational future must be planned with great care.
Parents are kept fully in the picture from the beginning and the family doctor and hospital consultant
drawn into discussions and the help of the school psychological service elicited. The pattern of
future needs emerges from these consultations and the Education Department warned of the
child's educational requirements. It is clear that close co-operation is required among the many
disciplines to ensure that the handicapped child receives its due needs. The School Health Service
confers early and fully with colleagues in the Child Health Clinics and with the Chief Education
Officer's staff to bring these plans into operation.

(A) Blind Children
In residential schools 3
Pre-school children who were ascertained in 1970
and are awaiting placement 2
2 children were ascertained as blind in 1970.
(B) Partially Sighted
In residential schools 3
In day schools 9
In normal schools 5
2 of the 5 children in normal schools are on a trial basis.
1 child was ascertained in 1970.
The London Borough of Hillingdon does not possess any day schools for the education of
partially sighted children. Application is made to the Inner London Education Authority for places
in its day schools. The number of partially sighted children is not large and it is more economic
to have one school serving several London Boroughs.
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