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With these difficulties in mind, the Principal School Medical Officer requested
a report on the speech therapy requirements in the borough and suggestions for improvement.
It was found that between 50 and 60 children with speech defects, who live in the
outlying areas of the borough, were not receiving the treatment they needed. The main
reasons were the time and distance taken to reach the speech clinic, necessitating considerable
absence from school, the cost of fares to and from the clinic, and the fact that many
parents were at work and unable to escort their children.
It is felt that a further speech therapist is required to enable us to give the
necessary sessions at the Elizabeth Pry Spastic Unit and Gurney School, and to extend the
work in the borough. It would then be possible to take speech therapy to the outlying
areas, provided suitable accommodation is available.
It was arranged at the beginning of the year, that the Chief Assistant School
Medical Officer should visit the clinic once a month to see all the children over a period
of time, and to enable the speech therapists to consult him about the children's progress,
and to arrange for any further treatment when necessary. Children who are ready to leave
the clinic are also discharged by the doctor during these visits. This arrangement has
been a great improvement, and has given the therapists a much closer liaison with the
doctor than before.
We have continued the weekly pre-school group this year and consider that the
experiment is proving successful. The children enjoy coming to the clinic and, In
addition to helping their speech, the group activities prepare the more nervous child
for school by encouraging him to mix and play well With other children.
Speech Clinics and times of attendance
Main Speech Clinic, Monday and Thursday 1.30 to 5.15 P.m.
Greengate Sehool, Tuesday, Wednesday
Cave Road, Plalstow, E.13. and Friday 9 a.m. to 5.15 p.m.
Branch Speech Clinic, Tuesday and Friday 1.30 to 5.15 p.®.
Grange Road Maternity & Child
Welfare Clinic,
Grange Road, Plalstow, E.13.
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