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help. It was found possible, through the co-operation of the Housing Committee and the Greater
London Council Housing Department, to rehouse a small number of families who, with social
work support, had managed to clear their former rent arrears. As a result the position has eased
a little but could well become acute again if there is a spate of applications. At the present
time plans for the new Reception Unit at No. 280 Goldhawk Road are with the Ministry of Health.
The present Reception Unit in Uxbridge Road is on land required by the General Post Office for
development, and must be given up during the coming months.
Other premises at No.289 Goldhawk Road, for a Unit for Unsupported Mothers, are also
under discussion with the Ministry. When this is available it will enable some of these mothers
and their children to be transferred from Battersea Bridge Buildings.
Unfortunately the type of premises suitable for adaptation into Training Units are in very
short supply and added to this is the rather long time it takes to clear all the necessary preliminaries
so that additional accommodation becomes available. Unless strenuous efforts are
made during the coming year, serious accommodation problems could arise, particularly towards
the Autumn and Winter.
A great deal of social work has been done in an effort to help the families, and there is
no doubt that this is by far the most difficult type of work undertaken by the Welfare Services
staff. There is a very close link with all other social work agencies concerned with the families,
including Children's, Health, Housing, Probation, School Care, Inner London Education
Authority, Family Welfare Association, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children,.and many other voluntary bodies interested in this work.
At the present time approximately 70 families are in the various units, and thanks are
recorded to the resident staffs who have a particularly difficult task and whose tolerance and
understanding go a long way to bringing about the satisfactory results which are achieved in
some of the cases.
(iv) Mother and Baby Units
By arrangement with other local authorities, temporary accommodation has been provided
for a number of unmarried mothers or mothers-to-be, and social work support is given with the
many problems which often arise. Approximately20 mothers are being assisted at the present
time.
B. Domiciliary Services
It is estimated that there are approximately 29,000 persons of pensionable age or over
residing in the Borough and at any one time about 10% of these will be receiving domiciliary
services from the local authority. A number may well receive several of the services at the
same time.
The main services provided during the year were:-
(i) Meals
These continued to be provided through the main kitchens at Milson Road, run under the
control of the Catering Committee.
The number of meals provided continued to rise throughout the year and approximately
1,300 meals a day were produced. Of these about 850 went to elderly people in their own homes
and 450 to those attending the 12 luncheon clubs situated in various parts of the Borough,
where the attendance varies from 15 to 70 persons. About 100 meals were provided for the City
of Westminster under an agency arrangement for persons residing in the Western end of that
Borough.
Approximately 100 invalid meals were delivered on behalf of the Health Committee.
This large daily operation involved no fewer than 19 vehicles and 36 staff, mainly drivers
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