View report page

Among the problems of these families were: debt, marital difficulties, difficulties between
parents and children, poor school attendance, inability to co-operate with authority, low
general standards, inability to budget, poor health and low mentality. Eleven of the families
were from overseas countries and had considerable difficulty in adapting themselves to different
cultural patterns. Sixteen of the families were living below the supplementary benefit standard,
and ten of these had five children or more.
Co-ordinating Committee
Four meetings of this committee, (on which the Inner London Education Authority, the
Greater London Council and the Ministry of Social Security are represented in addition to the
Health, Housing, and Social Services of the Borough,) were held during the year at which the
subjects considered included:-
Methods of guaranteeing rent
Accommodation for inadequately housed families
Rehousing on social grounds
Rehousing where children are in the care of the Borough but the parents are resident
elsewhere
Arrangements with Voluntary Housing Associations
Co-operation between Housing Departments and Social Services over families in arrears
of rent
The establishment of a Family Advice Centre
The need for adequate accommodation for seriously disturbed adolescents
The Circular from the Ministries of Health, Housing and Local Government
on Homelessness.
A representative of the London Electricity Board was invited to one meeting for an
informal discussion on matters of mutual concern, i.e., the methods of dealing with outstanding
accounts, pre-payment meters, appliances for the elderly. This was found to be helpful to all and
better co-operation between the Social Services of the Borough and the London Electricity Board
has resulted.
(52)