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Aftercare of Handicapped Pupils
Case conferences are called by the head teachers of the
special schools and the senior school medical officers
concerned to discuss the special problems which arise when
handicapped children reach school leaving age. The Youth
Employment Officer with special responsibility for the
handicapped, the Educational Psychologist and the Social
Workers also attend, and where appropriate representatives
of voluntary organisations such as the Spastics Society are
also invited. Arrangements are fully discussed with the
parents and where necessary the Youth Employment
Officer establishes contact with the services provided for
the disabled by the Department of Employment and
Productivity.
Martindale School is fortunate in having a further
education unit which provides largely for its own pupils
who are reaching the age of 16, and require further
instruction before they can satisfactorily be placed in
employment. These facilities are also available to pupils
from Marjory Kinnon and Busch House Schools. Informal
counselling for children after they have left school,
particularly if they have gone into normal employment is
frequently undertaken by the school staff who have been
personally acquainted with the child. There always remain
some children who are so severely handicapped that no
employment is possible and for these particularly the
Social Services 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. Statistics relating
to the provision of home teaching are included on the
handicapped pupils table on page 38.
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
and Ashford Hospital.
Day Nurseries
Introduction
There are three Local Authority Day Nurseries in Hounslow
— Nantly House (Balfour Road), Feltham Day Nursery
(Danesbury Road) and Brentford Day Nursery (The
Butts).
The organisation and administration is the responsibility
of Social Services, including the allocation of places.
The Health Department is responsible for carrying out
routine medical and developmental checks on the children
and may also recommend children for admission on social,
medical or educational grounds.
The Education Authority is responsible for paying the
fees of all the children admitted for educational reasons.
This mainly comprises of the physically and mentally
handicapped and those with speech or other difficulties
resulting from home background or under-stimulation.
Nantly House
This Nursery is the largest of the three with 67 places.
Twelve of these are for under two year olds but at any one
time only 9-10 of these places are filled.
The special unit for the handicapped is able to cope with
9 severely handicapped children at present. Only 6 of these
places are filled.
There are 12 trained staff, one specially trained for
handicapped children, and 6 students.
Feltham Nursery
Here there are 55 places available, 15 of them for under
two year olds. In this Nursery also the baby unit is rarely
full, the usual number of children being 10.
Five places are educational and four of these are filled.
There are 10 trained staff and 4 students.
Brentford Nursery
In Brentford there are 32 places with no special baby unit.
However, this Nursery caters for family groups consisting
of very young babies to pre-school children.
Five places are filled by children in the Educational
category.
There are 7 trained staff and 4 students.
Social workers visit the Nurseries regularly and are always
available to cope with problems which may arise.
Social Services is also responsible for, and provides,
equipment both for the children and the staff.
Medical Inspections
Medical examinations are carried out on all children on
arrival and their immunisations checked. If a child is not up
to date with these he is taken to the local clinic. In the
cases of Feltham and Brentford this is very convenient as
the clinics are situated next door. In Nantley House the
Matron receives the appointment from Bath Road and
takes the child along.
In exceptional circumstances the Medical Officer will
innoculate a child in the Nursery, but it has been found to
be more convenient to have the injections in the clinic
where the record cards are readily available.
Developmental assessments are performed at six monthly
intervals on all children, but those with problems and the
handicapped are naturally seen more often. If necessary
they are referred for specialised help.
At present one Nursery is visited by the Medical Officer
every week but special appointments are arranged at other
times when required.
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