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27
trolled by the Central Association for Mental Welfare and the Willesden Association
for the Care of the Mentally Defective respectively; but all arrangements (including
the financial arrangements) in respect of the "Agnes Western" centre are made for
convenience through the London Association. The Willesden centre provides for
children residing outside the London county area, but it has been found convenient
for a few isolated London cases to attend there, and the figures as to Willesden
given in the table relate only to these cases:—
Sessions Average number on roll Average
Centre. Address. a daily attendance.
week.
Hackney Infants' Class Room, Dalston Congrega10 27 17
tional Church, Middleton-road, Dalston
" Agnes Western" St. James' Parish Hall, Collier-street, Isling10 16 11
ton
Whitechapel Christchurch Hall, Hanbury-street, Spital5 15 11
fields
Southwark St. John's Parish Hall, Bedford-street, 5 20 13
Southwark
Poplar St. Frideswide Club House, Follett-street, 5 18 12
East India Dock-road
Bethnal Green* St. Margaret's House, Old Ford-road, 5 11 7
Bethnal Green
Lambeth (a) Pelham Hall, Lambeth Walk. 3 24 13
Battersea (a) Congregational Church Small Hall, Batter- 2 20 12
sea Bridge-road
Deptford (6) St. Paul's Institute, High-street, Deptford 3 11 9
Woolwich (6) St. James' Parish Hall, Burrage-road, S.E. 2 17 11
Willesden Pember Hall, Pember-road, Kensal Green 5 2 1
Total — 181 117
*See paragraph 15.
(a) and (6)—These centres are grouped, i.e., are open for a combined total of five sessions
weekly, each group of two sub-centres counting for grant as one centre.
15. In the last Report (Vol. II., p. 32, par. 13), reference was made to the
provision of whole day centres and to a reorganisation which had been effected to
secure a better distribution of centres in localities where they were most needed.
At the end of the Christmas term, 1926, the Bethnal Green centre was closed, on
account of a decline in the attendances there, and arrangements were made for
the Lambeth and Battersea centres to provide five sessions a week each (instead
of three and two sessions a week respectively).
" Wholeday
" centres
and re-distribution
of
other centres.
16. The grant made by the Council to the Association in respect of occupation Guides,
centres covers the provision at each centre of one guide (except at the Hackney
centre, which has two), to assist certain of the defective children who otherwise
could not be counted upon to make regular attendances. During 1925, a supplementary
payment was made to cover the cost of additional guides, and this payment
was continued during 1926; 16 additional guides, escorting 54 defectives, were thus
employed. The cost of the additional guides' wages, fares, etc., during the twelve Cost,
months ended 31st March, 1927, was £350, which amounts to approximately 6 1/2d.
a school day for each of the 54 children dealt with. The arrangement to provide
additional guides is being continued during 1927.
17. The basis of payment by the Council to the London Association for the Care
of the Mentally Defective for the use of occupation centres during the year ended
31st March, 1927, was at the rate of £143 a year for each of the seven part-time
centres, or groups of centres, except the Hackney centre, in respect of which the
Council paid the actual net cost of operating it (after allowing for income) not exceeding
£465 a year. These payments were slightly in excess of those made during the
year 1925-26. The increased grants were necessary chiefly to meet increased rent
Payment for
use of
centres.