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97
School for Physically Handicapped Children, by building additional
classrooms, has not yet materialised owing to unforeseen building
difficulties. It is hoped that a start will soon be made on the
building work so that the unit may come into full operation.
During the year in spite of many difficulties more physiotherapy
and speech therapy sessions have been devoted to cerebral
palsy cases attending the school. In addition, arrangements were
made for some of the children to receive physiotherapy during the
school holidays.'; Children whose parents were agreeable, were
transported by the ambulance service during the Christmas holiday
to a school clinic, thus ensuring continuity of treatment. It is
hoped to continue these holiday arrangements during 1953.,
Some of the special equipment required for the use of the
unit has been obtained. Other equipment, including special
desks and chairs, will be obtained when the additional accommodation
is available.1
Physiotherapy
The approved establishment of physiotherapists for the area
is three. Their work is not only concerned with orthopaedic
cases attending one or other of the clinics, but is essential for
the needs of spastic children attending the special school for
physically handicapped children. Between February and June
19S2, two full-time and two part-time physiotherapists were
employed, equivalent to two and seven-elevenths full-time staff.
At the time of writing the strength is one and nine-elevenths,
the children at Vale Road are now receiving totally inadequate
treatment and the inability to fill the vacancies is causing grave
concern to the orthopaedic surgeons and the staff of the school.
Speech Therapy
A second speech therapist for Tottenham was appointed in
April 1952: Two others work part-time in Hornsey This increase
in staff has made possible a daily session at Vale Road Special
School for Physically Handicapped Children, where two therapists,
one with specialist training, treat children suffering from
cerebral palsy.
The importance of the preventive aspect of the work is becoming
increasingly recognised. More pre-school children are
seen. An indirect approach, through parent education, has proved