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Welfare Centres and Mothers' Clubs.
The Health & Home Safety programme arranged for groups of children was held
this year at four health services centres throughout August with films, group participation
exercises and competitions. As usual, the programme was changed each week. The
number of children attending rose to approximately 1,100.
Social Work (Health Services)
The Social Work Section (Health Services) is concerned with
(a) social work arising out of school and hospital clinics and
(b) intensive casework with families with multiple problems.
The Social Workers concerned with the School Health Service are jointly appointed
by the Inner London Education Authority and the London Borough of Southwark, and
have a responsibility for special investigation clinics, audiology clinics, selected eye
clinics, and selected clinics at Guy's Hospital.
At special investigation clinics, children are seen who suffer from enuresis, obesity
and minor behaviour problems. The social workers make contact with the homes and
work with the clinic doctor in dealing with the total family situation where this is
appropriate. The work may be of a short or long term nature depending upon the
problem and the needs of the family.
At audiology clinics, the social worker is one of a team consisting of the otologist,
school nurse and social worker. Close contact is maintained with the peripatetic teacher
of the deaf and the staff of the schools for the deaf and partially hearing. The social
workers have continued to give support to the families of deaf children including those
where the child is at boarding school.
At Guy's Hospital a full-time senior social worker continued to maintain close
liaison and advised on all local authority services available for the school child and the
handicapped pre-school child.
During the year, members of the staff attended various conferences and day courses
and student social workers from the London School of Economics and the School Care
Committee Service, have been received in the Department for training. Arrangements
were made with Chiswick Polytechnic for two students on the Certificate in Social Work
course to undertake a fieldwork placement in the department with two of the family
caseworkers as supervisors. The Chief Social Worker has lectured to Health Visitor
Instructors on courses at Chiswick Polytechnic and to students on courses run by the
London Boroughs Training Committee. Family caseworkers have also given talks to
voluntary workers at settlements and schools.
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