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in need of cleansing to be sent to a bathing centre to be cleansed. Thus children
attending occupation centres in London (almost all of whom have been excluded
from the Council's special schools) now enjoy the benefits as to medical overhaul and
(in certain cases) treatment to which they would have been entitled had they remained
under the control of the local education authority.
30. The cost to the Council's mental deficiency service of providing the medical
inspection and treatment which has been arranged will, it is estimated, amount to
about £106 a year.
Cost of
medical
inspection
and treatment.
31. In April, 1928, the Board of Control addressed a circular letter to all local
authorities under the Mental Deficiency Acts, drawing attention to the duty imposed
upon local authorities by section 7 (2) (i) of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1927, to
provide training or occupation for defectives under supervision (see paragraph 11,
ante.). In their letter the Board expressed the hope that local authorities would
endeavour by all possible means, to provide such training or occupation, either by
establishing, directly or through a voluntary association, sufficient occupation and
industrial centres, or by arranging for home training to be given by an experienced
peripatetic visitor. At the same time, the Board asked to be furnished with information
as to the number of defectives under supervision in London who would
benefit by attendance at a day centre or by home training, and as to how the Council
proposed to carry out its duty to make provision for such cases.
Training or
occupation of
defectives
under supervision.
32. Following the receipt of the Board's letter, the need for action was closely
and carefully considered. The conclusion was reached that some extension might,
with advantage, be made of the existing system of occupation centres for children.
These centres seemed definitely to serve a useful purpose by providing relief for
harassed parents for the whole or part of a day of the responsibility for defective
children who, at home, must be a source of endless trouble, by training defective
children of low grade in elementary cleanliness, by inculcating some idea of discipline,
and by keeping defectives from the dangers of the streets. It appeared, too, that
attendance at an occupation centre would spare some parents, at any rate for a time,
the pain of parting with afflicted children to whom they were deeply attached.
Proposed
extension of
existing arrangements.
33. The question of the establishment of industrial centres for defectives over
sixteen years of age presented more serious difficulties, the chief of which lay in
securing a market for the produce of the limited kinds of industry which could be
carried on by defectives. On the whole, however, it was thought that an experiment
in this direction might be tried.
Industrial
centres.
34. The suggested employment of a home instructor to visit homes and give
instruction in suitable cases was not pursued, as it seemed that the expedient of
home instruction was designed rather for the needs of sparsely populated country
areas than for London.
Home
training
35. From an analysis, compiled by the London Association, of all cases residing
in London on 31st October, 1928, who were either under supervision or on licence
from certified institutions, it appeared that 1,990 such cases were not then attending
occupation centres, and that of these the Association thought that 921 would benefit
by training or occupation, though in 20 of those cases it would be impracticable,
for various reasons, to provide such training or occupation.
Analysis of
cases.
36. The Council invited the London Association to suggest in what directions
they thought the existing arrangements for the training or occupation of defectives
under supervision might be extended. In reply, the Association submitted the
following proposals:—(i) to establish two additional part-time occupation centres
for children, one at Hammersmith, and one at Lewisham; (ii) to employ 17 guides
additional to those already employed; (iii) to employ a home instructor; (iv) to
establish two senior classes for older girls and women of any age above 16 years
Proposed
establishment
of additional
centres.