HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26515, 1 September 1951, Page 8

HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

N.Z. FACILITIES FOR TRAINING CONSULTATIVE BODY APPOINTED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 31. An examination of facilities provided at present in New Zealand for intellectually handicapped children would be made by a consultative committee, said the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) to-day. Mr Holland said that last year a petition had been presented to the House of Representatives by the In • tellectually Handicapped Children's, Parents’ Association, asking for the' appointment of such a committee. The Education Committee of the House had recommended most .favourable consideration of the petition. The committee, consisting of five members, would be under the chairmanship of Dr. R. S. Aitken, ViceChancellor of the University of Otago. The Department of Health would be represented by Dr. L. S. Davis, Director of the Division of School 1 Hygiene, and Dr. G. M. Tothill. Deputy-Director of the Division of Mental Hygiene. The Education Department would be represented by Mr F. C. Lopdell, Chief Inspector ot Primary Schools, and Mr J. G. Caughley, Supervisor of Psychological Services. The committee would be asked, said Mr Holland, to consider facilities provided for intellectually handicapped children between the ages of five and 18, and for those over 18 years of age, and to make such recommendations as it saw fit. The term, “intellectually handicapped children," was to be taken to mean children who were incapable of deriving instruction from special classes in public schools. “All bodies and organisations concerned with intellectually handicapped children will be asked to submit evidence and suggestions to the committee,” said Mr Holland. “The Government is anxious to do all that is possible for these children and their parents.” ?