§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures there are to ensure that there is adequate sharing of information about a child's condition following health surveillance of children in nursery schools and classes; and if he plans to strengthen the existing position.
§ Sir George YoungIt is for each health authority to decide on appropriate procedures within its own area. Circular HC(78)5 drew attention to the interrelationship between the health, education and social needs of children and their families and to the need to develop a closer partnership between parents and professional staff. A paper "Prevention in the Child Health Services", prepared in the Department following consultations with health authorities and interested professional organisations and recently made available for information, stresses the need for adequate arrangements to be made to deal with abnormalities or deviations from the normal which may be discovered as a result of health surveillance.
Where child abuse is suspected, existing guidance stresses the importance of coordination of professional services. We are planning to augment this guidance shortly with a circular on child abuse registers.