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120
overcome their own problems, but a carefully judged balance has
to be preserved between a Draconian severity and an easy going
tolerance.
Considering the number of families who have been accommodated,
a study of the figures will show that great progress has
been made this year and a lot has been learned. Present accommodation
is being improved and further amenities installed to ensure
that families can live as families with reasonable independence. In
this way standards will be rising, and apart from a small minority
there is evidence that families do respond to encouragement and
example. After a full year of working, great adjustments in our
attitude to this intractable problem have had to be made, and it
will be interesting to analyse the results of the Council's policy over
a period of years.
Reception Centre—The Council has its own reception centre
with accommodation for 9 families and to which, when necessary,
immediate admission can be authorised. If, within a period of 2 or
3 weeks a family is unable to make suitable arrangements for itself,
it is transferred to a larger establishment at 158a Plumstead High
Street, S.E.18.
Main Unit—On 1st April, 1965, there were 80 families in
occupation at 158a Plumstead High Street, the majority of whom
had little or no previous residence in the Borough. A very difficult
problem was therefore inherited by the Council and at the time of
the re-organisation, 4 social workers were employed to deal with
families and help them with their problems. In some cases this is
no small task and assistance is afforded at a homemaking class
for mothers which meets weekly.
For residents, the services of a visiting Medical Officer are
available when required and under the auspices of the Inner
London Education Authority a nursery class has been organised.
Staffed by voluntary workers from "Save the Children Fund" a
nursery play-group operates during the school holidays. Moreover
during the evenings, a Youth Club for school children and 'teenagers'
is organised by members of the Y.M.C.A. At the invitation
of country branches of the Mothers' Union, 3 summer outings for
mothers and children were arranged and, assisted by voluntary
workers and aided by voluntary funds, the Welfare Staff organised
a day at the seaside for the children.
There are many problem families resident in this accommodation.
Those with marked defects but offering some prospect of
improvement are to be removed to a large house which will open
shortly as a training unit. Families there will be given intensive
help by social workers with the object of rendering them suitable
for normal re-housing.