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70
Introduction
The work of the School Health Service was again aided in 1962 by the continued
co-operation of the Borough Education Officers of Tottenham and Hornsey and by Head
Teachers, to whom I am grateful.
During the past few years the earlier maturation of children has brought its own
problems, not least of which is the occasional occurrence of pregnancy in older school
girls. The handling of the situation requires an understanding approach to the girl and
her parents and involves the co-operation of teachers, school medical officers and others
concerned. Physical maturity by no means implies mental or emotional maturity and the
decision whether the child is to be adopted or kept by the young mother requires a degree
of heart-searching which no girl of 14 or 15 should be required to face. The problem of
prevention of the conditions leading to these undesirable pregnancies is complex and is
partly due to improved economic circumstances leading to earlier maturation but other
more tangible factors play a part.
The instance I have just quoted illustrates the fact that to remain a viable and
useful institution, the School Health Service must be prepared to adapt to changing
conditions. First conceived over 50 years ago to combat the appalling ill-health
prevalent in the school population, today the service is more concerned with maintenance
and promotion of health - physical and mental The reports of our consultant child
psychiatrists given later in this section pay eloquent tribute to the importance now
attached to the prevention and early treatment of emotional difficulties in children of all
ages.
Health education also becomes increasingly important as a contribution to healthy
living and is best given in confidential surroundings to individuals or to small groups of
children. In this way the results are more lasting and valuable than those obtained by
impersonal campaigns.
Periodic Medical Jirspectioirs
The following table shows the number of children inspected by years of birth and
the classification of their physical conditions ■