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26
Cases
ascertained.

Employment
of the
London
Association
for the Care
of the
Mentally
Defective.
Supervision.
9. Arrangements for the supervision in their own homes of those persons ascertained
to be defective and subject to be dealt with, for whom this measure appears
to provide adequate protection or for whom no better means of care can be furnished,
continue to be made through the London Association for the Care of the Mentally
Defective. For the financial year ended 31st March, 1927, the Council has paid to
the Association £1,917, an increase of £177 upon the payment for the previous year,
which was necessary to meet normal salary increments for the Association's staff
and to cover the cost of increased administrative expenses at the Association's head
office in respect of occupation centres (see paragraph 13 and onwards). The amount
of £1,917 includes consideration for services rendered by the Association in furnishing
(i.) reports upon the home circumstances of the relatives of defectives required by
the Visitors of certified institutions in which London cases are maintained, to enable
the Visitors to perform their duties under section 11 of the Act, and (ii.) reports
as to the progress of defectives who may be absent in London on licence from certified
institutions, with a view to ultimate discharge.
Enquiries
made for
visitors of
institutions.
Enquiries as
to progress ot
defectives on
licence.
Method of
payment of
errant to the
London
association.
10. In order to avoid the necessity for occasional bank overdrafts, involving
payment of interest which must add to the general expenses of the Association,
arrangements have been made for payments on account of the Council's grant to
the Association to be made monthly in advance.
Friendly
visitation
or after-care
11. Friendly visitation has again been afforded by the Association in suitable
cases for defective persons resident in London, after discharge from institutions
or guardianship. No payment is made by the Council for this work as the
cases are no longer "subject to be dealt with" under the Act.
Cases
supervised
12. At 31st December, 1926, the number of cases under statutory supervision
in London was 1,856 (854 males and 1.002 females).
Continuation
of the
scheme of
"occupation
centres."
Provision of occupation centres.
13. The use of "occupation centres." i.e., centres organised by voluntary effort,
with financial assistance from the Council and the Board of Control, which mentally
defective children who are unfit for attendance at special schools may attend otherwise
than compulsorily for simple occupational training, details of which are given
in the Annual Reports for 1923 (Vol. II., pp. 19-21) and 1924 (Vol. II., pp. 27-28),
has been continued and developed during 1926.
Centres in
use, and
attendances.
14. The following table gives particulars of the centres of which use has been
made by the Council during the year, and of attendances made thereat by " recognised
" cases, i.e., by defectives who are under statutory supervision and are not
more than 16 years old (or, in some special cases, 18 years). These are the cases
for whom the centres are primarily intended, and in respect of whom the Council
makes a financial contribution to the expenses of the centres, and at least 75 per
cent, of the places available at each centre are reserved for such cases. The centres
are under the management of the London Association for the Care of the Mentally
Defective, except the " Agnes Western " and Willesden centres which are