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In order to determine the most suitable education for each child not attending
the Fountain School, case conferences have been held at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children
at regular intervals. These have been attended by the consultant psychiatrist with a team of
experts from all disciplines within the hospital, senior officers in the Health and Education
Departments of the borough, and the Head and Deputy-Head Mistress of The Fountain
School.
In addition, each ward has been visited by a team consisting of the Principal Medical Officer,
the Inspector/Adviser (Special Education), the Headmistress of The Fountain School and the
Assistant Matron. During these visits each child is observed individually and after considerable
discussion involving both medical and nursing staff, recommendations are made in respect of
each child's educational needs. Following these recommendations an increased number of
children are receiving education in small off-ward groups and a limited number are receiving
education in on-ward groups.
It is intended to have a teacher on every ward with assistants and, where possible, when
accommodation is available, to take as many children as possible off the ward for part of
each day.
In view of this unique situation, where there are 340 mentally handicapped
children living in a hospital, some with dual and multiple handicaps, the Chief Education
Officer considered it essential, in conjunction with me and with the co-operation and help
of the medical nursing and teaching staff at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, to
prepare a detailed report to indicate the educational needs of all the children, the staff
required to teach them, and the provision of additional accommodation and storage space
needed to enable each teacher to function adequately. The compiling of the report was
commenced this year and it is hoped it will be submitted to the Education Committee early
in 1972.
Having laid the foundations of the multi-disciplinary approach to the education
of mentally handicapped children in all aspects of their education and care, I look forward to
the challenge that lies ahead.
I take this opportunity of thanking the staff at Queen Mary's Hospital for
Children for all their help and support during the year.
(c) Autistic Unit at Queen Mary's Hospital School
This unit consists of three classes. Two classes provide education for children
over the age of 5 years who have been diagnosed as suffering from autism. The third class
is a class for children aged under 5 years who are unable to communicate. The class for
children aged under 5 years is divided into two groups with usually four children attending
the group during the morning or afternoon. All classes are staffed by a full-time teacher
and nurse from Queen Mary's Hospital for Children. Children attending these classes may
either be resident in Queen Mary's Hospital or attend daily from homes in the borough
and occasionally from other boroughs. The class for very young children has proved most
valuable as it enables small children with this disability to receive early education and
observation by experienced staff in this particular handicap. All the classes are attended
regularly by a speech therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, and teacher of the deaf. Each
term a conference is held to discuss the progress and placement of the children.
Children are also admitted to the classes for a diagnostic and assessment period. This
has proved most helpful in deciding a child's best future school placement.
During 1971, 20 (17) children attended this unit including 8 children who were not
resident in the hospital.
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