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therapist. No students were in attendance during
1967.
The autumn saw the retirement from the post of
Senior Speech Therapist of Miss E Richnell.
She gave full support to the brief given to her
successor, Mrs D E Cox LCST, that of
co-ordinating the work of the speech therapists
with other services to increase the general
efficiency. The educational and medical services
work closely together to give comprehensive
care to the children of the borough. The work
of the speech therapist in school clinics tends to
be solitary, and under pressure from heavy case
loads it is difficult to maintain contact with
schools, other services and with colleagues.
Therefore the service came under re-appraisal
during the latter part of 1967, when the following
aims were formulated:—
1. To hold monthly meetings of speech
therapists to ensure an interchange of ideas, a
reduction of individual problems, uniform
methods of assessment, and maximum contact
with other services.
2. To endeavour to explore more fully the role
of the speech therapist in the special schools,
particularly Marjory Kinnon School and the
junior training schools. In the latter
establishments there is a diversity of opinion
as to the time warranted for speech therapy,
and it stands out as a field needing further
investigation.
3. To work at all times towards a closer link
with other services. With this in mind,
simplified terminology was agreed upon to be
circulated early in 1968 to all concerned with
children having speech defects. Forms were
designed to increase two-way information
between schools and the speech clinics, and
all opportunities were taken for joint
consultations.
4. To interest the London speech therapy
training schools in sending students to the
borough's clinics. This had been discontinued
largely due to staff shortages. Student
participation can help in several ways:—
i. A therapist, when teaching a student,
tends to become more analytical, which
can be advantageous.
ii. Despite the supervision required, a case
load can be eased by the suitable use of
students.
iii. Training schools interested in the work in
the borough are more likely to be a source
of supply of candidates for our speech
therapy service when vacancies arise.
iv. Since the inter-disciplinary approach
favoured in the borough fosters
experimental work, the use of students
can enable such work to be carried out
that would otherwise be precluded by lack
of time.
5. To look into the use of a speech therapist's
time in school clinics with the possibility of
a revision of methods used. Particular areas
for review are:—
i. Children with minor deviations of speech,
where the teacher in daily contact with the
child could exert more influence if suitably
guided. It has been found that teachers
welcome advice on how to handle children
with speech defects.
ii. Children with really severe speech defects,
whose lack of verbal communication is
retarding their progress at school. These
children need far more time than the
weekly session at the clinic allows, while
their schooling, in the initial stages,
requires alignment to their individual
problems.
6. To increase the emphasis on early detection
of deviations in the acquisition of speech and
language so that advice can be given to
parents, and such children kept under careful
supervision. There is a need to strengthen
links with health visitors and the medical
officers at welfare clinics.
By December 1967 these aims were being put
into practice, and their practical application
should be apparent during 1968.
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