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elsewhere in this report. Five of the centres are held in premises owned by the Council
and used exclusively for occupation centre purposes, but the remainder are in rented
premises, mainly church halls. Plans are in hand, however, for the erection of three
large purpose-built centres (two to be completed in the coming year) and for the adaptation
of another building and when these have been provided it will be possible to
discontinue using some of the less satisfactory premises.
All children under 16 and elder girls attending the centres are conveyed by special
transport. Elder boys attending centres travel by public transport, alone or with a
parent, or guided in groups.
The centres for children are run as closely as possible on the same lines as schools,
and those for adults, where shoe-repairing and woodwork for men, and needlework
and cookery for women, and other occupations are carried on, resemble craft centres.
One of the centres for elder boys is conducted as a workshop where articles are made
for the Council's Supplies Department for use in other services of the Council. It is
hoped to extend this sort of activity for both men and women. Particulars of the value
of the work done at the workshop and of the proceeds from the sale of articles made
at the other occupation centres are given in a table elsewhere. Speech therapy sessions
started as an experiment at two junior centres during 1957 have produced promising
results and consideration is being given to an extension of this work to other centres.
A feature of the Council's occupation centre service which is much enjoyed and
eagerly looked forward to is the annual fortnight's holiday organised for some 200
children and adults attending the centres, accompanied by staff, at a seaside holiday
camp. Necessitous persons (81 in 1957) received free or assisted holidays. Some centres
organised day outings to the sea or country and facilities are provided for periodic
visits during the summer months to local parks for recreation and sports. Senior boys'
centres organise inter-centre cricket and football matches. At one of these centres a
selected group is taken to the swimming baths weekly and one boy has recently gained
a certificate for swimming 100 yards. Christmas parties are held at all centres and
parents' associations and other persons donate gifts to provide extra amenities and
outings.
Everyone attending a centre is medically examined at least once a year and chest
X-ray examinations are arranged for all staff and for defectives over fifteen years of age
attending the centres. During 1957 two cases of tuberculosis were discovered and are
receiving treatment at home or in hospital.
Facilities are given for groups of students undergoing courses of training, and
interested persons from other authorities and countries, to visit occupation centres.
Students taking the National Association for Mental Health's course of training for
occupation centre staff and associated work undertake periods of practical training in
the Council's centres, and medical officers taking the Association's course on educationally
sub-normal children and mental defectives carry out testing practice in the centres.
The Council has borne the cost of fees for a number of staff of occupation centres
who have undertaken part-time courses of training organised by the National Association
of Mental Health and has given leave of absence for them to undertake practical
work at centres and hospitals of other authorities.
There is no doubt that defectives derive much benefit from attendance at the occupation
centres and, in addition, relief is afforded to parents. Some parents who have found
the burden of caring for their defective children at home so great that they have pressed
for their admission to an institution have withdrawn their requests after attendance at
an occupation centre because of the progress made. In the course of 1957, six children
improved to such an extent that they were admitted or re-admitted to special schools
and 19 older boys or girls left to take up employment.
Home
teaching
During 1957 an experimental scheme was introduced for a home teacher to visit
and instruct in their own homes defectives who are physically unable to attend occupation
centres. This has proved of great benefit and consideration is being given to the