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42
The social workers in this section find that their work falls into six broad categories:—
(1) School Health
(2) Families with special problems
(3) Immigrants
(4) Old People's Welfare
(5) Venereal Diseases
(6) Patients who attend a Chest Clinic
(1) Social Workers (School Health Service)
This service, provided under the Education Act, 1944, was originally established by the London
County Council.
In co-operation with the Education Officer's Department and the Care Committees, the staff undertake
social work with families. They investigate referrals and can offer casework help when children
require special treatment or placement. This can be especially helpful to the families of handicapped
children; 68 families have been referred during the last six months. Social workers attend special
clinics for the investigation of such problems as enuresis, behaviour disorders and failure to make
satisfactory physical progress. These conditions are often associated with disturbed home backgrounds.
One social worker is concerned with children who are deaf or partially hearing. She attends the
audiology clinics and follows up in the home.
Close liaison with general practitioners, hospital staff, school teaching staff and care committees
is established so that co-ordination at all levels may promote the general welfare of the school child.
In view of the increasing duties to be undertaken by social workers in connection with handicapped
children and also due to the development of the Special Investigation Clinics, extra staff may be
necessary. There are at present four special investigation clinics.
(2) Families with special problems
Two family caseworkers are employed full-time in the Health Department to visit and help families
who by their own inadequacy, or the extent of their problems, cannot manage alone. The problems
may include marital difficulties, the care of the children, home management, or the family's inability
to accept, or be accepted by, their immediate social environment. It is also hoped that this casework
will be preventive in that the unsatisfactory pattern will not be repeated by the children of the families
receiving help. Many of the families need intensive and prolonged support but they can often be
constructively helped if referred to social workers at an early stage. At present the two caseworkers
are visiting 22 families.
(3) Immigrants (See separate report, page 43).
There is at present only one social worker whose duties are wholly concerned with Immigrants.
The work, however, is extending so much that it is hoped next year to increase the establishment by
another full-time social worker.
(4) Old People's Welfare
Three social workers are concerned with the multiplicity of needs of old people. They deal with the
more complex problems, especially of those who are homebound and who require special facilities.
They arrange for the visits of home helps, home nurses and for the assistance of public health inspectors
in relation to tenants in unsatisfactory housing accommodation. They also arrange for the loan of
nursing equipment where necessary. The social workers are in close touch with the City of Westminster
Old People's Welfare Association.
(5) Venereal Diseases
Two social workers are employed full-time, one at St. Mary's Hospital and one at the Middlesex
Hospital. The latter also does contact tracing in respect of people referred from the Armed Forces
of this and other countries. A third social worker is employed half-time at Westminster Hospital
and half-time at Hackney Hospital.
In addition to their work of contact tracing, the three social workers are dealing with an increasing
variety of social problems encountered in their work.
(6) Chest Clinics
There is a social worker at each of the three Chest Clinics. She provides the patient with information
concerning the various social services available. She gives casework help when necessary and helps
the patient with practical and personal problems. She also provides the chest physician with the
social background which is relevant to the patient's treatment.