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Their acquaintance and good relations with the parents generally
enables many obstacles to be overcome to the benefit of the children.
By the teachers' vigilance, also, early treatment is obtained, illness
curtailed and suffering avoided.
The teachers' knowledge of family circumstances is often helpful in
determining the line of conduct in particular cases.
Co-operation of School Attendance Officers.—Attendance Officers and
members of the medical staff are mutually helpful in securing the regular
attendance of children at school or treatment centre.
Co-operation of Voluntary Bodies.—Two voluntary organisations have
given useful service to the School Medical Department, namely, the
Invalid Children's Aid Association and the National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
The Invalid Children's Aid Association have arranged for convalescent
treatment for school children at institutions other than Suntrap Home,
Hayling Island; for the regular attendance at hospital of cripple children,
and for the supply of surgical instruments.
The aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children is seldom invoked. When other measures fail a visit from the
officer of that Society usually suffices to create in a recalcitrant parent a
sense of his responsibility towards his own children. No drastic action
was found necessary during the year.
CONVALESCENT HOME TREATMENT.
227 children suffering from debility, inanition, bronchitis, bronchial
catarrh, etc., were sent to Suntrap Special School, Hayling, for a period
of 6 weeks or more. 60 took advantage of the summer holiday arrangement
at the same place.
The Invalid Children's Aid Association sent 226 children to various
convalescent homes and 8 were received in residence at the King Edward
VII Memorial Seaside Hostel, Bexhill-on-Sea.