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Of the 117 discharges, 21 were rehoused by nomination for housing
allocated to this Council by the Greater London Council, 25 were rehoused by the Council, 46 were assisted to find accommodation, and 25
found their own accommodation.
The casework approach of the family caseworkers is based principally on three main conditions
(a) Acceptance by the family of their financial responsibility,
regular payment of charges, proper budgeting,, and the payment
of any outstanding debts including rent arrears,
(b) Ensuring that the family can maintain themselves in close
living conditions by training the parents into good
standards of child care, i.e., correct feeding, adequate
clothing and reasonable discipline; appreciation of the
value of regular school attendance, and a constant care of
the health and well-being of the family.
(c) Acceptance by the husband of the need to secure and maintain
himself in full time employment. Encouragement and assistance ares given in all the foregoing when necessary.
The response shown by families was encouraging and resulted in rehousing being effected within a period of twelve months in most cases
Examples of two such families are as follows:-
(1) The mother from a very large and difficult Irish family,
all of whom were at variance with society and the law. Her background was in consequence appalling. She was married at an early
age, her husband was arrested on her wedding day and sentenced to
a long term of penal servitude. She came to England as a
Domestic Assistant, met her cohabitee, has two children and was
reasonably happy until her family also came to England, broke up
the cohabitation and lost her accommodation. She developed into
a morose introvert.
She was induced to accept temporary accommodation, her
cohabitee was also admitted. The woman's family decided to
return to Eire.
Case work and a feeling of security completely changed the
woman. She became very house proud, her flat was always spotless and
the children well cared for.
She was found Council accommodation in a converted house and
occupied the upper part. This has now been very well decorated
and would be a credit to any family. The woman still visits the
office frequently for advice and is very contented. The cohabitee
has remained in good employment for over two years which has
contributed towards stability of the family.
The original husband has completely disappeared and a divorce
and marriage to the cohabitee is in progress.
(2) The family consisting of a woman and six children, deserted
by the husband, was evicted from single room accommodation for overcrowding and refusing an offer of temporary accommodation. She
dispersed the family to the care of her friends. The three elder
children, rather difficult males, were then admitted into Council
care, and later two others, leaving the woman and one child.