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36
Report of the Welfare Officer (Miss I. O. D. Harrison, S.S.D.)
It is now over two years since I was appointed to assist with
the problems arising from or involving newcomers in Paddington,
which as I mentioned in last year's report is historically an area that
had complex problems long before they were additionally complicated
by the recent influx of immigrants.
The volume of my work has increased considerably since this
report for two main reasons. The first because of the steady stream
of people arriving in the Borough, and secondly because my function
is becoming even more widely known.
The general pattern of the problems to which my attention is
drawn remains very much the same, although the emphasis changes
from time to time, as most social situations do, because social
conditions and attitudes do not remain static.
My original contention that new comers should not be made
'special people' is I believe more generally accepted. I still feel that
any approach to the problems in the Borough where this principle
is not borne in mind would tend to defer assimilation and maintain a
barrier of misunderstanding.
There are statutory and voluntary social agencies which cater
between them for all regular and recognised social problems, and
such agencies in our Borough are of course dealing with problems
that concern immigrants.
Nevertheless, in the social field there are always problems that
cannot be neatly slotted into place and this is particularly true
where there are the additional complications of lack of
understanding, of background differences, misunderstandings and
prejudice between parties concerned.
The problems which are now more usually being referred to me
are those involving newcomers where one or all of these aspects
are present. For instance, problems of friction or misunderstanding
between neighbours or landlords and tenants, marital and extra
marital problems, problems arising among children and young
people, and various problems arising from newcomers adapting
themselves in a new and completely different environment.
The most important aspect of my appointment is to assist in the
promotion of harmony and understanding of people who are
different in background, in origin and attitude, who come from
different parts of the world (not only from the Commonwealth), and
who having come together, must learn to live together as members
of one community.
I think many would agree that Paddington has always tended to
be an area with less community atmosphere than many other London
districts, which is not surprising because a very large portion of the
population over a number of years has been transient. Added to
which there is an overwhelming proportion of hotel, flatted and
bed-sitter type of accommodation and family houses are in the
minority.