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69
SPEECH THERAPY
Since last year's report two speech therapists have left and a third will shortly be leaving. So far
these vacancies have not been filled. This has affected the work at most Clinics and waiting lists have
grown.
report of work in clinics
The work at Pound Lane has been improved by the provision of a session at Mortimer Road where
yet another session would be advisable if possible. Pound Lane serves a large area and attendance has improved
now that children are able to attend the Mortimer Road Clinic, Pound Lane being rather far for some patients
who attend alone. Kilburn Square is under-staffed at present but waiting lists are not unavoidably long as
the remaining therapist has put in extra sessions there and has been helped by a third year student. Neasden
and Stonebridge at the moment have no therapist. Urgent cases attend Pound Lane. College Road has two
sessions which are adequate. One Tree Hill and Stag Lane Library Clinics are also adequately staffed.
London Road still has the same difficulty as in previous reports, lack of space and insufficient sessions.
This is a very central clinic with a large number of schools based upon it and referrals are numerous.
Attendances are good and this Clinic needs at least two more sessions for the therapist to be able to cope
adequately giving sufficient time to each patient.
The whole area has most co-operative schools, stammering and dyslalia are the speech difficulties
most commonly encountered.
reports from special schools
Lower Place Day Special School for Physically Handicapped.
Two therapists are working seven sessions as before although one of these will shortly be leaving.
She should however be replaced by the beginning of the next school year. The removal of the school to
Kingsbury where there are new premises should improve treating facilities considerably as a much quieter
room has been provided for speech therapy.
Woodfield Educationally Sub-normal.
This school has at present no speech therapist. Considerable numbers of children in the school
need speech therapy but facilities are most inadequate. The last speech therapist worked under great difficulties
frequently arriving there finding she had no room in which to work. If therapy is to continue a
suitable treatment room is a necessity.
Vernon House Special Educational Unit.
This school has now three speech therapy sessions which are adequate for the present. Co-operation
and facilities are good, retarded language and stammering are the speech problems which predominate.
Conclusions.
If this report appears less favourable than that of last year this is due to the shortage of therapists
which cause great difficulties for the remaining therapists. These should disappear when new therapists are
appointed and, compared with other London Boroughs, Brent is still an interesting and co-operative area
from the speech therapy point of view.

HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS
blind children
By the end of 1967 there were 9 blind children, all of them boys, being maintained by the Authority
at Residential Schools for the Blind. There were 6 boys at Dorton House, Kent, 1 at Condover Hall, Shropshire,
1 at Rushton Hall, Kettering and 1 at a Sunshine House in Sussex.