Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hounslow]
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Special schools
Martindale School (Hounslow)
Six special day schools for handicapped pupils are
maintained by the education committee including the 2
junior training centres which were transferred from the
Health Committee on 1st April 1971 and which are now
known as the Lindon/Bennett School, Hanworth and
Oaklands, Isleworth.
High quality diagnostic and therapeutic services
continued to be provided at the special schools by the
borough's doctors, psychologists, nurses, speech therapists,
physiotherapists, audiometricians, orthoptists and social
workers. Provision is also made in recommended cases for
some handicapped pupils under five years of age to be
admitted to day nurseries.
Busch House School, Isleworth
This school caters for delicate and maladjusted children.
Because of the nature of handicaps, seriously aggressive
children are not admitted. Many of the delicate children
suffer from chronic physical illnesses.
With the exception of a few children who are treated
by a psychiatrist in hospital or from another Borough, the
maladjusted pupils are under the general care of the
psychiatrist from the Child Guidance Clinic who visits
regularly. A physiotherapist is in attendance every morning
to give treatment to those children who require it, while a
senior school medical officer visits the school weekly to
advise on the care of the delicate and to supervise the
physical health of the maladjusted pupils.
Many of the maladjusted children suffer from temporary
or chronic physical illnesses or may present physical
symptoms. A number of the delicate children are as much
handicapped by emotional disorders caused by their illness,
and sometimes by its treatment as they are by the physical
disease itself. Increasing use is made of the visiting
psychiatrist to advise on the management of these children
in addition to the growing demand on his services in the
treatment of the maladjusted pupils. By virtue of its dual
character, the school can handle the emotional problems of
the delicate or thfe physical problems of the maladjusted
pupil with the greatest possible facility and without a
departure from the routine that might make a child
conspicuous by this appearing to be handled differently
from his peers.
This is a day school for physically handicapped children
with a closely associated medical unit.
Furniture and apparatus capable of being adapted to the
needs of the pupils is in use and facilities are available for
hydrotherpy, physiotherapy and speech therapy. The
majority of the pupils suffer from cerebral palsy and are
dependent on wheel chairs for locomotion. Close
co-operation between the teaching and medical staff is
necessary to secure a reasonable balance between the
educational and treatment needs of the child and to make
the best of his physical and intellectual potentials. Many of
these children have learning difficulties and here the
services of the senior educational psychologist are
particularly useful.
The figures in the following table relate to the position in December 1972 and show the number of children who attend from Hounslow and neighbouring authorities.
Delicate Boys Girls | Maladjusted Boys Girls | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
London Borough of Ealing | 3 | 2 | _ | 2 | 7 |
London Borough of Hounslow | 23 | 19 | 25 | 18 | 85 |
London Borough of Richmond | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
Surrey County Council | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
Total | 28 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 97 |
Heston School for the Deaf
This day school with its associated classes for the partially
hearing in Townfield and Harlington Secondary Schools,
Springwell and Norwood Green Infant and Junior Schools,
and Oriel Junior School provides accommodation for 168
deaf and partially hearing pupils. A medical officer to the
hearing clinic visits the school fortnightly and in addition
there is close liaison between the clinic and school staff on
children's hearing and learning difficulties.
The figures in the following table relate to the position in December 1971 and show the number of children who attend from Hounslow and neighbouring authorities.
Boys | Girls | Total | |
---|---|---|---|
Buckinghamshire County Council | 7 | 4 | 11 |
London Borough of Ealing | 16 | 16 | 32 |
London Borough of Harrow | 5 | 2 | 7 |
London Borough of Hillingdon | 7 | 9 | 16 |
London Borough of Hounslow | 35 | 20 | 55 |
London Borough of Richmond | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Surrey County Council | 14 | 3 | 17 |
Total | 91 | 61 | 152 |
The figures in the following table relate to the position in December 1972 and show the number of children who attend from Hounslow and neighbouring authorities.
Deaf Boys Girls | Partially Hearing Boys Girls | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
London Borough of Brent | 6 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
London Borough of Ealing | 13 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 43 |
London Borough of Harrow | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 15 |
London Borough of Hillingdon | 9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 27 |
London Borough of Hounslow | 7 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 32 |
London Borough of Richmond | 2 | – | 4 | 3 | 9 |
Bucks. County Council | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
Surrey County Council | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 |
Herts. County Council | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
London Borough of Kingston | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
Total | 45 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 155 |