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48
In the earlier part of the year, a Lecturer from the London School of Economics led a series of twelve
seminars on casework methods attended by colleagues from the Children's and Welfare Departments,
as well as by Health Department staff. In the autumn, a discussion group, again consisting of social
workers from the various Departments, and led by the Council's Consultant Psychiatrist, examined
different methods of working with groups.
During the year the Youth Advisory Service expanded and a full-time social worker was appointed.
In addition to being available at the two clinics attended by a medical practitioner who is specially
skilled in youth counselling, the social worker has been exploring the needs of the community as far
as adolescents are concerned. She found that there is a large group of adolescents who are very
much at risk but unable to make use of the existing social services. She has, therefore, been attending
various youth clubs, technical colleges, coffee bars/discotheques, in order to make accessible
either on the spot or in the clinics - the services and advice which those young people need. The
results are encouraging and many adolescents are now directly approaching her for help. Eighty clinic
sessions were held during the year, involving some 465 personal interviews.
There has been an expansion in the number of Special Investigation Clinics and parents value the
opportunity of being able to discuss their difficulties with the medical officer and social worker. The
latter keeps in close touch with the child's home and where necessary works with the whole family
towards the solution of practical and emotional problems. The importance of the preventive aspect
of this work cannot be over-emphasised as the treatment of minor behaviourproblemsoften prevents
more serious difficulties from developing. Consideration is being given to the possibility of group
work particularly for adolescents who are overweight. Several meetings have been held where
doctors and social workers can discuss the treatment of cases and ways in which they can work
together. It is anticipated that these seminars will be further developed next year and that the Council's
Psychiatrist will lead the group. In 1970 there were 128 new referrals and 660 attendances were made
at 183 clinic sessions. There were 837 home visits.
One member of the staff is responsible for the social work connected with children who are deaf
or partially hearing. She attends the local audiology clinic and visits parents to give advice and support
as well as acting as the liaison between the child's home and school. During the year she made 69
visits. The number of attendances at the clinic was 290.
The casework service for the families of children attending special schools has been developing
and at the end of the year the social worker concerned was in touch with twelve families.
One social worker is employed full-time with families who have special difficulties and five other
members of the staff have a case load of similar families in addition to their other work. Comment is
made by the social workers on the increasing complexity of the problems with which they deal and
also on the fact that many families require help and support over a long period. At the end of the year
the number of families being assisted was 53; 1,240 home visits were made in addition to 153
interviews at City Hall.
Two members of the staff work full time with unsupported parents. Although in some cases the
client needs limited help for a short time only, in many cases practical help and casework support is
required over a long period. There were 159 new referrals during the year; 273 home visits were made
and 335 interviews took place at City Hall.
The three social workers attached to the Chest Clinics have been dealing with a considerable
number of problems connected with housing, finance and employment. Many of the patients with
whom they are in touch are very seriously ill and a considerable amount of support is often given to
them and their families. During the year there were 272 new referrals to the social workers; the
number of current cases at the end of the year was 325 and there were 227 home visits.
Three social workers concentrate on visiting the frail elderly and help in situations where intensive
supervision is necessary. They work very closely with other statutory and voluntary organisations
as well as with hospital staff and general practitioners in identifying and meeting the needs of the
elderly. In 1970 there were 208 new referrals; the case load at the end of the year was 953 and 5,474
home visits were made.
One member of the staff deals specifically with the problems brought to him by immigrants.
These include difficulties connected with accommodation, matrimonial and family matters as well as
problems resulting from immigration.
The work of the social workers attached to clinics for venereal diseases is separately dealt with on
page 55.