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of policy and to benefit from discussion with our
colleagues.
We have visited, when time permitted, individual Area
Teams to discuss mutual clients and to give and receive
advice on cases. We have profited from the help our
colleagues have given us on procedures unfamiliar to us.
During the time that a child is in a Special School we
act as Family Social Worker. In certain cases it has been
appropriate to extend this role by taking over those aspects
of care previously undertaken by the Area Teams. We have
of course in these cases kept the Area Team fully informed
of the family situation. Inevitably a change of support
must occur when the handicapped child leaves school, and
the right moment must be chosen for this transfer so that
too many changes do not take place at once.
Liaison between different Social Workers is greatly
facilitated and encouraged by the Central Registry which is
kept at Headquarters. This records all persons or families
known to any social worker in the Borough and also
broadly records the categories of help given. The
information is available to any member of the Department.
It is thus a simple matter to find out who else is involved
with the family by telephoning and in this way duplication
of services can be minimised and liaison with colleagues
stimulated. The extra work in contributing to the Index
and maintaining it up-to-date is considerable but well
worth the effort as it provides a comprehensive picture of
people receiving social work support.
In July we were brought up to establishment by the
appointment of a third Social Worker, Mrs. D. Cooke who
took over the social work at Marjory Kinnon School and
also the delicate children at Busch House School. Her
previous lengthy experience as Medical Social Worker at the
Hospital for Sick Children has made her contribution a
valuable one.
Mrs. Harding continued to work part time at the School
for the Deaf and the Hearing Clinic until the end of the
year when she left to have her second son. We were sorry
to see her go but glad that it was for such a nice reason.
Mrs. Wisdom carried on her work, part-time, as Social
Worker to Martindale School and, as in the other Special
Schools found her time fully occupied with an ever
increasing case load and the need to give continuing support
to families with complex and varying needs.
Analysis or referrals
Martindale and Medical Advisory Unit 43
Marjory Kinnon School 58
Busch House School 32
Hearing Clinic 15
Heston School for the Deaf 4
Miscellaneous 4
Total 156
Recuperative holidays
During the year the borough council accepted responsibility
under Section 48 of the Education Act, 1944 for the
maintenance of 55 children in recuperative holiday homes.
Forty-seven were admitted to such homes and 7 were
cancelled or withdrawn and 2 were awaiting placement at
the end of year. One case was brought forward from last
year.
Health Education in Schools
The organisation and mode of our research project in five
secondary schools was set out in fair detail in the 1970
Annual Report. Only advances and developments in the
service during 1971 will be described herein.
There was again an increase in the number of lectures
given to school children, and the number of schools
participating in the health education scheme also
increased. Plans were finalised to widen the scope of health
education in junior schools.
A feature of the year was the increased co-operation of
Parent/Teacher Associations and the demand on the Health
Educator for discussions with such Associations.
The Medical Officer of Health, the Health Educator, two
head teachers, four parents and four children from the
borough participated in a BBC 2 TV programme concerned
with venereal disease. The teachers, parents and school
children commented very favourably on the value which
they had received from the health lectures given at schools
but, unfortunately, most of the TV studio discussion
concerned with preventive medicine and education was
omitted from the programme by the Producer.
An increase in counselling - referred by Health Education
Officer.
School Meals and Milk
The following information concerning the provision of
school meals and milk relates to a check made on one day
in September:
Maintained Schools
Meals
Pupils present in school 31,343
Pupils taking meals 18,239
Percentage taking meals 58
Milk
Pupils eligible for milk (primary and special
schools only) 8,716
Pupils taking milk 8,203
Percentage taking milk 99
Non-maintained schools
Number of schools (primary only) taking milk 9
Number of children present 356
Number of children taking milk 341
Percentage taking milk 96
The Education (Milk) Act received the Royal Assent on
5th August 1971 and the Provision of Milk and Meals
(Amendment No. 2) Regulations 1971 which brought its
provision into effect were made on 17th August 1971.
Under the Regulations, authorities as from 1st September
1971 were under a duty to provide free school milk only
for the following classes of pupils in maintained schools.
(a) pupils in special schools
(b) pupils in other maintained schools up to the end of
the summer term next after they attain the age of seven
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