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Chest Clinic Welfare Service
The two care committee organisers were both based at Lewisham Chest Clinic
during 1969. They continued to act as Secretaries to the Chest Clinic Care Committees
and were available to assist patients. During the year the Lewisham Chest
Clinic Care Committee met on five occasions and the Deptford Chest Clinic Care
Committee met on four occasions, when fund raising, grants, holidays and outings
were discussed.
Family Casework
Casework help continued to be offered to forestall family breakdown in multiproblem
family situations. Among these were the chronically sick and inadequate
where frequent and prolonged contact was necessary, and a smaller group where
short-term intervention at a time of family crisis was effective. Aspects that particularly
emerged included the need to engage both parents, the capacity to tolerate
and contain intense anxieties, both from the family and the community, and an
understanding of the dynamics of human relationships. There was a broadening
of referral boundaries, especially from general practitioners, and a number of self
referrals from families whose requests for help were often subtle and oblique. Fortyfour
families received long-term casework help in 1969 when 1,620 home visits/
office interviews were undertaken.

Annual Events
We acknowledge with thanks voluntary contributions which enabled a Christmas
party for 58 children to be held at the Town Hall. In addition, many families were
able to have a family outing, due to a number of guest tickets for the pantomime
which were made available by the Council. These were particularly welcome because
many families known to the section rarely enjoy this experience.
Voluntary Organisations
Co-operation with voluntary agencies and associations was maintained and social
workers became more involved with community projects. We should particularly
like to acknowledge gifts and contributions from various associations at Christmas
time, which social workers and family caseworkers made available to children and
their families with special needs.
Hospital Liaison
During 1969 existing ties with hospitals were strengthened and an increasing number
of referrals were made by the Children's Hospital, Sydenham, and the Maudsley
Hospital to both social workers and family caseworkers. Workers participated in
study days with nursing staff at the former and attended case discussions at the
latter.
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