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In march of this year, the Health Committee, after considering a report by the
Medical Officer of Health, recommended to the Council that a "Development Clinic" for
handicapped pre- school children be started. The recommendation, which had the support
of the general practitioners and hospital medical staffs (through the local Medical
Liaison Committee) was accepted by the Council, and the first session was held in October.
Development Clinic. Though the planning of the clinic has to some extent been
based on the experience gained through the pioneering schemes of other local authorities,
it has been adapted to our local needs and has been kept simple and flexible.
The clinic is held at Maybury Road Child Welfare Centre. The mothers (and sometimes
the fathers too) bring the children by appointment and the sessions will be held as often as
is found necessary.
The staff consists of a medical officer (at present the Senior Medical Officer) and
one of the health visitors who have a special interest and some post-graduate training in
child development, and it is hoped that the psychologist, psychiatric social worker and the
occupation centre supervisor will Join the team as often as possible. The district health
visitor is invited to accompany the mother to the clinic, at least on her first visit. The
parents are thus given personal support and encouragement, and the health visitor's knowledge
of the home and family background is invaluable in enabling the doctor to suggest a plan for
the child's future management and care.
It has not been necessary to appoint any additional or special staff to run this
clinic, but only to bring existing staff together so that they may form a team. Every
effort will be made to maintain contact with the G.P. and to assist him in his responsibilities
for the medical care of handicapped children and to supplement his resources.
Similarly, if the child is attending hospital, appropriate contact will be made with the
consultant. It may however be anticipated that when parents realise that a continuing
interest is being taken in their child, that everything possible is being done to help
the family, and that the plan of care is known to the family doctor, they will not feel
the same urge to take the child to so many hospitals and other sources of advice. It is
found that a great deal of needless anxiety can be caused to parents by conflicting
advice, given with the best intentions, in the course of a series of consultations sought
for the purpose of obtaining help and reassurance.
Pour sessions were held during 1958 (October to December); thirteen children
with the following handicaps attended
Severe mental handicap (probably occupation centre level) 5
General mental retardation and epilepsy 2
Mental retardation and emotional disturbance 2
Physical handicap and mental retardation (suitable for
Elizabeth Fry School for Physically Handicapped) 2
Slight mental retardation 1
Physical handicap (muscular weakness) with severe mental defect,
impaired vision and profound deafness1
13
50