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Two children belonging to this Borough at present attend such a unit maintained by an adjacent
authority. Two other children are unable to be accommodated in this Unit due to concomitant
low mental ability, and are placed in the Special Care Unit at Moorcroft Training Centre.
Mention has already been made of the Autistic Unit in this Borough (page 137) and children
are admitted to this class on the advice of the Consultant Child Psychiatrist.
Reading difficulties in otherwise normal children can be dealt with in a variety of ways and
intensive assessment by school doctors and educational psychologists provides a plan for their
treatment. Methods of attack on these problems vary from one child to another and the remedial
education is tailored to suit the individual where this is possible.
Section 8 of the Act came into force on 29th November, 1970 and covers a wide variety
of educational buildings. Local education authorities are required to make provision, so far as is
practicable and reasonable, for the needs of disabled persons using the buildings, in the means
of access both internally and externally and in parking facilities and sanitary conveniences which
may be available.
UNSUITABLE FOR EDUCATION IN SCHOOL
6 children were ascertained under Section 57 of the Education Act, 1944 as being unsuitable
for education in school during 1970, the last child for which this procedure was invoked being
reported in May 1970. These children were admitted to the Junior Training School or confirmed
in their placement there.
The Education (Handicapped Children) Act, 1970, makes provision to bring within the
educational system those children who have or would previously have been determined as being
unsuitable for education at school. This year, 1970, is the last in which responsibility for these
children rests with the Social Services Committee. They become the responsibility of the Education
Committee as from the 1 st April, 1971.
EDUCATION (HANDICAPPED CHILDREN) ACT, 1970
and Circular 15/70 Issued by the Department of Education and Science
The extension of educational responsibility envisaged by this Act will operate from 1st April,
1971. It will bring within the educational system those children who in the past have been described
as being unsuitable for education at school. Any such decision made as a result of a statutory
examination in accordance with Section 57 (as amended) of the Education Act will now be
translated as meaning that the child concerned is in need of special educational treatment as an
educationally subnormal pupil. Therefore all children within the age limits for education will
become the responsibility of the Local Education Authorities. In the past, Local Health Authorities
have had the power to provide training for children deemed to be unsuitable for education at
school but by the first of April, staff, buildings and facilities provided by such authorities will pass
to Local Education Authorities. Junior Training Centres will be proposed normally for approval
as new special schools for the educationally subnormal child. Where Special Care Units operate
as unattached units, they will be considered as a provision under Section 56 of the Education
Act, 1944. Applications have to be made to the Department of Education and Science for the
approval of arrangements for providing education in a hospital for the mentally handicapped of
compulsory school age. It is considered that the conditions applying in specialist hospitals for the
mentally handicapped will justify the establishment of hospital special schools. Particularly this
would seem to be the case for Leavesden Hospital, for which Hillingdon is part of the catchment
area. The hospital itself lies within the area of Hertfordshire County Council which would be
responsible for establishing an educational service there and subsequently claiming from placing
authorities for education provided. It is accepted that some children, at least for the time being,
are incapable of response to any form of educational stimulus. These children are to be kept under
regular review and freshly assessed from time to time, so that it is possible to respond without
delay to any development of a child's capacity to benefit from some form of special education.
Co-ordination among Education, Health and the new Social Services Departments will be of
paramount importance if the changes made are to lead to real advances in the standard of education
which even the most afflicted children can receive.
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