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Hospital. It is hoped to extend this facility to St. Charles's Hospital.
Although this involved a great deal of social work time,it was considered
that the benefits to patients and the close co-operation with the hospitals
outweighed the disadvantages of having permanent commitments for the staff.
Plans are also in hand for a closer liaison with Leavesden Hospital,
one of the catchment area hospitals for the subnormal. This will take the
form of a weekly assessment clinic for all age groups, but mainly for the
parents of very young children.
Training
The Mental Health Services have continued to be accepted by Universities and Colleges of Technology as suitable for student placements. A
student from the University of Cardiff was accepted for a two-monthly
placement and this year the number of students from Croydon Technical
College on long-term placements was increased from two to three. University
College Hospital continued to send two medical students for one day per
month. The Borough continued its policy of training their staff and, in
addition to the member of staff already on a two-year course, another member was seconded on a one-year professional training course.
Mental Health Week
The third of the three National Health Weeks inaugurated by the National Society for the Mentally Handicapped, was held in June. A week of
very interesting talks and films was planned around the theme of "Target
for Tomorrow" and as usual was well attended by students, the general public and local schools.
Fulham Training Centre has places for 60 boys and girls aged between 5
and 16 years. Since 1 April 1965, places had been made available for trainees from the London Borough of Wandsworth, but in September, Wandsworth
were able to make provision for their own children, leaving Fulham Training Centre for the children of Hammersmith residents. On 31 December 1968,
there were 55 trainees on the register and the average daily attendance
was 41.
The syllabus included social training, music and movement and simple
instruction using the Montessori method of teaching. This year a new activity was added with the introduction of a weekly swimming session at
Fulham Baths and this proved very popular. One member of staff was seconded
on the Diploma Course for the Montessori Method of Education.
The customary Summer outings were arranged including trips to Bishops
Park, Richmond Park and Chessington Zoo. An Open Day for parents and friends
was held in July at which the children took part in some organised sports.
This year the Christmas presentation was much more ambitious than usual,
the children miming a story written by the staff to the music of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. This was so successful that a cine film was made
at a repeat performance given before the Mayor and Members. A Christmas
Party was held for the children at which Father Christmas presented each
child with a toy. Gifts of money were received from the Hammersmith branch
of the National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and a local publican and a boys' secondary school in the Borough organised a sponsored'
walk and donated the proceeds to the training centre to be spent on toys
and amenities.
Visits were made to the Centre by groups of students from Froebel
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