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177
Training Centres
Maze Hill Junior Centre
This centre, which was purpose-designed on a difficult site,
was inherited from the London County Council. After certain modifications
were made in respect of internal design and equipment, and
some safety factors given urgent attention, the Centre was taken over
on 14th December, 1965. A detailed description of the organization
and methods employed is included below and it will be seen, and this
should be emphasised, that the centre is run on strict educational
lines. An attempt is being made to create a school atmosphere, and the
dichotomy which could develop between the education authority
and the local health authority because of differences of emphasis or
purpose in the Mental Health and Education Acts has been effectively
eliminated. No arbitrary limit is placed on educability or ineducability
on the basis of an intelligence quotient estimation. Each child
is considered as an individual and his or her aptitudes carefully
ascertained. Any skills or functions, however modest, which have a
potential for development are encouraged and exploited.
This centre is also to be seen as a part of the whole range
of supportive services which are available or will soon become
available for the mentally handicapped child. It will take its
natural place with the hostel which is being built at Ashburnham
Grove as well as with the Adult Centre, the Industrial Centre and
the domiciliary services provided by the mental health team.
The centre provides accommodation for 112 children in 3
main groups, as under:—
(1) Nursing Unit
Notwithstanding that the unit is intended mainly to serve the
needs of 20 children between the age of 3½ and 5 years in the
severely subnormal range, a few selected subnormal children who
suffer from specific problems such as walking, speech, self-feeding,
or behaviour, are accepted in order that they may, with appropriate
assistance, subsequently gain entrance to a special school.
This nursery is designed to make the change from home and
mother to school and teacher as painless and happy a transition
as possible and, in a purposefully maintained informal atmosphere,
the little isolated entrant is encouraged to become a real member
of a group and to participate in its activities.
(2) Education and Training Centre
Catering for a total of 80 children between the ages of 5 and
16 years, the centre is organised into four classes each of 20 children
including a transition class for boys and girls aged 14 to 16 years.