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Dover Lodge hostel—The Council established the first hostel of its kind in the country
at Dover Lodge, Wood Vale, S.E.23 in 1955. This hostel accommodates up to 13 mentally
subnormal girls who, normally, have no homes or whose home background is unsatisfactory.
The girls are usually leavers from schools for the educationally subnormal and the hostel
serves a useful purpose in training the girls to become self supporting members of the
community. Suitable employment is found for them in the locality. During 1961, 18 girls
were resident at the hostel and eight remained in residence at the end of the year. Three
girls were placed in lodgings during the year; three in resident employment; two in other
hostels; one absconded and one returned home.
Voluntary organisations—In addition to the direct provision of hostels the Council
intends to continue and, where necessary, extend the placing and maintenance of suitable
mentally disordered persons in hostels and homes under the control of voluntary associations
and with private persons. Use has been made of homes maintained by such voluntary
organisations (principally the Mental After-care Association) for the long term and short
term care of persons suffering from mental illness. At the end of 1961, 136 such persons
were being maintained at homes owned or sponsored by the Mental After-care Association,
seven at hostels of the Jewish Board of Guardians, five at Parnham House (National
Association for Mental Health) and two at Winston House, Cambridge (S.O.S. Society).
Patients at these homes are maintained by the Council and contribute towards the cost
according to their means.
With regard to the placing of mentally subnormal persons, the practice was continued
of using private homes and hostels run by voluntary associations where this form of care
was considered appropriate, including placings in convents and other training establishments
run by religious communities and placings through the Guardianship Society,
Brighton. Use was also made of two hostels (one for boys and one for girls) established by
the National Association for Mental Health, where mentally subnormal children are
trained to undertake paid employment and to fit them for life in the community. At the
end of the year 139 mentally subnormal persons were being maintained by the Council
under these and other similar arrangements.
Short term care—The provision of short term care for mentally subnormal persons in
hospitals or private homes approved by the Council's medical staff has grown considerably
since it was first authorised by Ministry of Health circular 5/52. During 1961, 427 persons
were placed under these arrangements for periods normally not exceeding eight weeks
(compared with 376 in 1959). These facilities have been greatly appreciated by parents
and relatives of children and adults, many of whom, while not willing to place them in
hospital or elsewhere on a long term basis, have been relieved without cost for short periods
from the strain of home care.
The Guardianship Society, Brighton has nominated a number of foster mothers who
are willing to care for mentally subnormal persons for a short period and so give them a
holiday at the seaside which, in many cases, would not otherwise have been possible.
Hostel for alcoholics—The Council contributes 90 per cent, of the net cost of maintenance
towards the running, by the West London Mission, of a hostel in Lambeth for the aftercare
of alcoholics. This hostel, which was opened on 1 July, 1961, provides after-care
for a maximum of 40 patients who have received psychiatric treatment and who are under
the continued supervision of psychiatrists. During the first six months, to the end of 1961,
66 men had been admitted to the hostel and 30 discharged; 16 of those discharged were
considered to be failures because of short-stay or refusal to co-operate, the remaining 14
had made reasonable progress so far as is known. There has been close co-operation with
the agencies referring the cases. Twenty men were admitted from Pentonville Prison
psychotherapy group, the majority of whom did not return to drink. As complete rehabilitation
is, to a large extent, dependent upon the availability of support and supervision after
active treatment, the provision of this hostel meets a real need, particularly for those
who have no homes of their own to go to after treatment.
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