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133
ties than ever before and their prospects of 'job-finding' after leaving
school have never been brighter. Medical science has advanced at a
startling rate and general science and technology have enabled many
hitherto 'unemployables' to become gainfully employed. Unfortunately,
there are signs that present material prosperity is being
threatened.
Paradoxically, this period has been one of social uneasiness on
the part of the nation and there has been a persistent demand for
more and more welfare facilities— in fact for a fully comprehensive
social welfare service. However, we would do well to remember, in
planning for the future, that community services are intended to
serve the needs of the community and we should beware of subordinating
these to administrative convenience and procedures.
Underlying all the welfare services is the aim of helping persons
towards independent living and self support including rehabilitation
and training for regaining capacity for work. Where this is found to
be impracticable, a solution is sought by the department which
endeavours to give the handicapped the greatest of physical and
mental freedom compatible with his/her underlying condition.
Attainment of these objects means a personal social service to
individuals or families and, ipso facto, more social workers for the
local authority services.
A more comprehensive service will require even more trained
personnel and existing training facilities are already inadequate;
furthermore, recruitment of suitable trainees has also proved to be a
substantial obstacle. A new organisation, the Social Work Advisory
Service was established during the year to promote recruitment and
form a link between all agencies concerned with social service
training. Existing training has been expanded and recommendations
for future training of social workers have been circulated to local
authorities by the Council for Training in Social Work.
Until a sufficiency of trained social workers becomes available
it is inevitable that some of the social work will have to be sustained
by persons qualified by practical experience and limited training
and to whom we already owe a great deal for the maintenance of
standards of the present services.
General
The nationwide scarcity of Social Workers was reflected in
this Borough's situation during 1966 and the total establishment of
19 was never complete at any one time. At the end of the year, 17
Social Workers were in post, there having been 9 resignations which
included 2 Home Teachers of the blind. Although 7 new appointments
were made during the current year, it was not possible to
obtain replacements for the Home Teachers and at the close of the
period under review only one member of the staff was so qualified.