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school medical officer visits the school twice a year
for a general inspection of kitchens, dormitories, etc,
to discuss medical problems with the Matron and
general progress of pupils with the Head Teacher.
Aftercare of handicapped pupils
Case conferences are called by the head teachers of
the special schools and the Principal School Medical
Officer concerned to discuss the special problems
which arise when handicapped children reach school
leaving age. The Youth Employment Officer and
representatives of the Welfare Department attend,
and, where appropriate, those representing voluntary
organisations such as the Spastic Society and Fellowship
for Poliomyelitis are also invited. Arrangements
are fully discussed with the parents and where
assistance from the Ministry of Labour's scheme for
disabled persons is required this is arranged by the
Youth Employment Officer.
Martindale School is fortunate in having a further
education unit which is attended largely by its pupils
who could not be satisfactorily placed on reaching
the age of 16.
There remain always some children who are so
severely handicapped that no employment is possible,
and for these particularly the Welfare Department is
able to provide help.
Education otherwise than at school
Consideration is given to providing home tuition
to handicapped children awaiting admission to special
schools, children having a long convalescence following
acute illness, and others who for some specific
reason may not be able to attend ordinary schools.
Two children were provided with home tuition during
the year.
No hospital special schools are provided at hospitals
within the Borough but arrangements are made for
children to have tuition in the wards at West
Middlesex Hospital.
Children excluded from school as unsuitable
No formal decisions were recorded under Section
57 of the Education Act 1944, excluding children as
unsuitable for education in school, nor were any
reviews conducted under the provisions of Section 57A
or any decisions cancelled under Section 57A(2).
Seven children, however, were found unsuitable to
attend either ordinary or special schools and these
were dealt with informally. Similarly one child dealt
with informally was re-admitted to a special school.
Medical and dental inspection and treatment of
children excluded from school as unsuitable
The medical and dental facilities are available to
the severely sub-normal children attending the two
junior training schools in the same way as for those
attending ordinary schools. A physiotherapist attends
each school about once a week to give treatment to
those children in the special care units who additionally
have severe physical handicaps, principally
cerebral palsy. A speech therapist attends Isleworth
Junior Training School once a week to treat a few
selected cases and to instruct the staff in the constant
use of speech therapy techniques. It was not possible
to arrange for a speech therapist to attend the school
at Hanworth owing to the continual difficulty in
recruiting and retaining these staff.
Day Nursery
In some cases physically and mentally handicapped
children of pre-school age can benefit from the
training and sheltered atmosphere and the companionship
provided by a day nursery. Where recommendations
are made for such admission for children over
the age of two years, the cost is borne by the Education
Committee under Section 56 of the Education
Act 1944. Three such children were admitted to day
nurseries during the year.
Observation Register
A register is kept of children living in the Borough
whose family, pre-natal and personal history could
mean that a disability or handicap, eg deafness,
epilepsy, speech defect, squint, etc, might be present
or might develop.
During the year discussions were held with the
obstetricians and paediatricians at West Middlesex
Hospital, Chiswick Hospital and Queen Charlotte's
Maternity Hospital and it was agreed that children
born with congenital defects and those with a potentially
greater risk of developing a handicap would be
notified to the Department of Health.
All such children are kept under observation at the
Council's clinics and are assessed for their physical
and intellectual development. If a specific handicap
is diagnosed or suspected, use is made of the specialist
clinics such as the Medical Advisory Unit Martindale
School and the Hearing Clinic Heston.
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