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stay than six weeks, then he must be admitted to a convalescent home providing educational
facilities.
The administrative arrangements have been in the hands of the West Ham branch of
the Invalid Children's Aid Association for some years, and have this year again been
carried out in a most efficient manner. Occasionally voluntary organisations of
different religious denominations deal with special cases, e.g., Jewish Board of
Guardians.
During the year ll6 children were sent to convalescent homes.
The Children's County Holiday Fund organises summer holidays for children in
private homes, but these oases do not come within the convalescent scheme.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS
The employment of children who are under compulsory school leaving age is restricted
by statutory legislation and bye-laws.
Employment of children in West Ham is limited to the delivery of newspapers, milk
or bread. These are usually boys but occasionally a girl wishes to undertake work of
this nature. The medical officer carrying out the examination gives a certificate on the
condition of the child at the time of the examination, and it is to the effect that the
employment will not be prejudicial to the health or physical development of the child and
will not render him unfit to obtain proper benefit from his education.
The number submitted for examination since 1949 has progressively declined, the
number in that year being 229, and 1957, 111. The number of certificates granted
for girls to participate in singing and dancing remained fairly constant up to 1955,
when the number was 52. This year it dropped to nine.
THE SCHOOL LEAVER AND EMPLOYMENT
Unsultablllty for certain occupations
The School Health and the Youth Employment Service work closely together during the
last two years of the child's school life, and one of the last duties which the former
service performs for the child who is leaving school is to give the Youth Employment Officer
an indication of the child's fitness for employment. The school medical officer, at the
last medical inspection of the child has in mind his future employment and, where appropriate
completes a specially designed form indicating type of employment for which the child is not
fitted.
It is found, in practice, that restrictions are most frequently recommended on
account of eye strain and defective vision. Next in order of frequency are those involving
heavy manual work, exposure to bad weather, prolonged standing, much walking or quick
movement from place to place, and work in a damp or dusty atmosphere.
In the case of handicapped ohildren a special form is used. In addition to listing
the unsuitable types of employment the form includes a section for recording the nature of
the child's disability, its probable duration, and its bearing on the obtaining or keeping
of suitable employment.
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