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As might be expected, some boys, after admission, proved to be either unsuitable
for or not sufficiently interested in farm work. Training, however, is not confined to
farm work and, when necessary, other training is provided in trades or hotel work.
Of the 12 lads placed at Wallingford since the commencement of the scheme,
seven successfully completed their training during the year. Of these, two were
successfully placed in farm work on leaving and another was about to be so placed
at the end of the year. One lad who had been trained for shoe-repairing was placed
in that trade in April, 1957, and he was still in the same job at the end of the year. Of
three boys trained for hotel work, two were suitably placed in hotels and the third
returned home to live. Two lads were still undergoing training and making satisfactory
progress at the end of the year and there were three failures. Two of these had marked
behaviour difficulties and it became necessary to place them in mental deficiency
institutions and the third was found to be unsuitable after a short time. It should be
pointed out, however, that there had been some doubt at the time of placing as to the
suitability of these three and it is not considered that their failure in any way reflects
on the establishment.
Clinics
As previously stated, the Council has set up clinics conducted by a doctor, experienced
in both mental deficiency and maternity and child welfare, assisted by a mental deficiency
social worker and a health visitor, for backward children under five.
The service started in Bethnal Green in 1952 as an experiment because it had been
noticed that parents with children who presented physical features of obvious mental
subnormality were loth to bring their babies to maternity and child welfare centres
attended by normal infants. Moreover, it was felt that specialist advice on mental
deficiency matters should be available for parents who needed it. The clinic was an
immediate success and similar clinics have since been provided in all nine health divisions
in the County. Advice and simple treatment similar to that given at ordinary maternity
and child welfare clinics is provided and, in addition, parents are advised and trained
to deal with the many varied difficulties involved in the handling and bringing up of
mentally deficient infants. The clinics serve as diagnostic clinics in cases where the
parents are uncertain as to the nature of their child's disability and are anxious for
advice as to the facilities available for the training and education of mentally backward
children. The clinics also provide an opportunity for parents to get together to discuss
their problems among themselves, with advice from the staff if necessary, and the
doctor gives talks from time to time to groups of parents on matters relevant to the care
of mentally deficient children.
Occupation
centres
Occupation centres for mentally defective persons living in the community were
provided in London long before the Mental Deficiency Act, 1927, made it a duty of
local authorities to provide training or occupation for defectives. As early as 1923 the
Council paid the London Association for Mental Welfare for the attendance of London
defectives under supervision at centres managed by the Association. The centres were
run on a modest basis with, to start with, five sessions of two hours each a week. In
1931, when the Council took over the Association, there were 17 small centres in
London (13 for children, two for elder boys and two for elder girls) accommodating
over 300 defectives. Two of the centres were open for 10 and the remainder for five
sessions a week. By the outbreak of war in 1939, larger premises had been acquired
and there were seven centres (three holding ten and four holding five sessions a week)
for children, two centres (one holding ten sessions a week and the other five) for elder
boys, and three holding five sessions a week for elder girls. At that time there were
places for 340 defectives. The centres were closed during the war years.
Owing to war damage and other difficulties, it was not possible to start re-opening
centres after the war until the middle of 1948, but by the end of 1949 sixteen centres
had been opened. Now there are 20 full-time centres with places for 1,145 defectives,
nine for juniors of both sexes, five for elder girls and women and six for elder boys and
men. Particulars of these centres and the accommodation at each are given in a table