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The Audiology Unit has been most fortunate in being able to refer children, with the General
Practitioner's approval, to Mr. Pease, Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon at Central Middlesex
Hospital when further investigation has been required and possible surgical treatment needed. Our children
have received excellent care and attention and during the year many suffering from conductive hearing losses
have been treated and shown great improvement. We are greatly indebted to Mr. Pease for his co-operation.
In 1970 our establishment of two peripatetic teachers of the deaf was increased to three to enable the
greatly increased caseload to be reduced for each teacher. The importance of the work of the teachers of the
deaf cannot be over stressed. When deafness is diagnosed in an infant or young child, it is the teacher of the
deaf who visits the child in the home and gives help in the use of the hearing aid, commences regular auditory
training so that the development of language and speech can begin as soon as possible. She guides the
parents in their management of the child's auditory training and supports them in the many anxieties that
parents under these circumstances suffer.
Children in ordinary school with moderate hearing loss and those who can manage with a hearing
aid are supervised by the Peripatetic Teacher of the Deaf who visits them in school regularly, discussing the
children's progress with Heads and Teachers. She can explain to teaching staff the very special difficulties some
of these children may have. If progress at school is unsatisfactory in the case of any particular child, then an
appointment is made for the child to be seen as soon as possible at Neasden Audiology Unit by the Audiology
team for re-assessment.
In September 1970 the two eagerly awaited partially hearing classes were opened in Kingsbury
Green School and five children were admitted. It is a great relief now to know that our young partially
hearing children are no longer having to undertake daily the long journey to Heston.
We are now faced however with the same problem for our deaf children who still have to make
this journey.
During the latter part of the year the London Borough of Haringey informed this Authority that
no further places would be available for Brent children in their School for the Deaf or in their partially
hearing unit. The School for the Deaf and partially hearing units at Heston in the London Borough of
Hounslow are now the only day schools for deaf and partially hearing children available to Brent children
and the waiting list there is long. Fortunately we now have our own primary partially hearing unit.
During the year we have had many visitors at Neasden Audiology Unit, coming from all spheres
involving the care of children and our observation room has been in constant use and usually very full.
Amongst our visitors have been Paediatricians, General Practitioners and their trainees, Medical Students,
Health Visitors, School Nurses, Matrons in Day Nurseries and Children's Homes. We are always pleased
to welcome visitors as we believe that widening the experience for those concerned in the care of children in
the problems associated with hearing loss, is an important part of our work.
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
Report of the Principal School Dental Officer
The fluoridation of public water supplies has not yet been approved.
A Senior Dental Officer has been appointed in a busy clinic which has been seriously understaffed
for some considerable time, and this should result in a much improved dental service to the schools allocated
to this clinic. There have been only minor staff changes during the year which is fortunate as patients do
not take kindly to being treated by several different dental officers in a short space of time, and will frequently
transfer to a dentist in the National Health Service to obtain continuity of treatment.
Older equipment still serviceable is being supplemented by items considered essential to modern
dental practice, and obsolete appliances have been replaced in several clinics by the latest types available.
Every effort has been made however to minimise costs by avoiding the installation of what might be considered
luxury equipment. The co-operation of the staff in pursuing these policies has always been excellent
and has been of great value in maintaining the smooth running of the clinics.
In extending the programme of dental health education, including film shows and talks to classes
and at school dental inspections, much assistance and tolerance have been required from School Heads and
secretaries, and in almost every instance these have been willingly given.
With the advent of increased charges for dental treatment in the National Health Service, dentists
therein will no doubt hope to attract greater numbers of patients of school age, and the school dental service
will have to be particularly watchful and progressive to maintain the present wide acceptance which it enjoys
in this Borough.
CHILD GUIDANCE SERVICE
prepared by dr. c. graham, b.sc., chief educational psychologist
Organisation of the Service
The Child Guidance Service continues to be organized into the School Psychological Service where
the Educational Psychologists see children in school referred for predominently educational difficulties, and
the Child Guidance Centres where the whole team investigates the case referred for predominently emotional/
behavioural difficulties. Naturally, the School Psychological Service passes on those cases to the Child Guidance
Centre where a full psychiatric investigation is desirable and, in fact, about one third of all Centre referrals
come from the schools.
The Kilburn Centre in Brondesbury Villas deals with all referrals concerning children living in the
Willesden area and the Kingsbury Centre in Church Lane deals with all referrals concerning children living
in the Wembley area.