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home helps were selected, for inclusion on the register of helps who attend problem
families.
The National Council of Home Help Services organised a competition in order to
select a home help to represent Great Britain at the International Conference of Home
Helps. A home help of twenty-one years standing from this Borough was among the six
finalists, and represented Greater London at the Conference.
The Chief Home Help Organiser gave talks not only at in-service training courses
within the Borough, but also at courses arranged by the London Boroughs Training
Committee for district nurses, hospital nurses, students in social work, etc. Talks were
also given to members of the home help service in other authorities both in this country
and on the Continent. During the year arrangements were made for students from various
disciplines within the local authority framework to visit the home help offices and
accompany the organisers on their visits in the district; this has been found to be most
beneficial to the student and the local authority by provoking interest and knowledge of
the services provided.
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 these
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.
The family caseworkers have been concerned with the family with multiple
problems and their caseloads are purposely restricted in order that they may have the
time to consider the needs of each individual member of the family and the interpersonal
relationships which so often are the basis of the family's difficulties. The majority of the
referrals come to the caseworkers from the Borough Co-ordinating Committee's case
conferences.
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