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To stimulate industrial activity, an industrial manager was appointed in 1961 to negotiate
orders for, and generally supervise, industrial work. Until that time this work had been
confined to the single industrial centre, where woodwork articles, mainly for the Council's
Supplies department, were produced; industrial activities have now been extended to
other adult centres, so that as many as possible of the trainees have an opportunity of doing
work for which they receive a proportionate share of the income received by the Council.
There is no doubt that this development has been welcomed by the trainees who have
shown themselves capable of quite a wide variety of simple work.
It has been particularly gratifying that very severely subnormal adults who were previously
considered quite unemployable have been able, as a result of the careful planning
of jobs and their breakdown into simple stages, to play a useful part from which they
derive an obvious satisfaction. So far work has been provided for seven centres and has
included the assembly of lamp holders and brush and comb sets, sewing gas mantles and
the stuffing of soft toys.
The opening in 1961 of the second industrial training centre, with workshop accommodation
for 40 trainees, was a significant step in the expansion of the arrangements for industrial
training. Considerable power-driven machinery was installed and it is hoped to be able
to produce a wide range of woodwork articles both for the Council's own use and for
outside sale. The range of goods so far attempted includes tidy boxes, wooden toy bricks,
toy blackboards and easels, ironing boards, swing seats and duckboards.
Since autumn 1961, the two industrial centres have been kept open for a slightly longer
day to bring them more into line with industry; for the same reason, instead of being open
only for the periods of the school terms, they are now closed for only four weeks a year.
At the end of 1961 each trainee at an industrial centre was receiving a daily payment of
two shillings, a figure calculated on the annual profits at that time.
Medical and ancillary services—All persons attending junior and adult training centres
receive an annual medical examination and chest x-ray (subject to parental consent);
annual mental re-examinations by medical officers experienced in mental subnormality
are being introduced. Dental treatment and speech therapy are provided as necessary for
children attending the junior centres. Trainees age 12 and over receive a B.C.G. examination.
Meals—Mid-day meals are supplied cheaply (free in necessitous cases) at all centres
by the School Meals Service, the food being conveyed to the centres in containers from
conveniently situated school kitchens. It has recently been decided that in all new centres
with 100 or more places meals shall be cooked on the premises and special provision for
kitchen accommodation has accordingly been incorporated in the design of the centres
for which plans have been completed. Free mid-morning milk is supplied to all trainees
up to the age of sixteen.
Transport—Special coach transport is provided for all junior and older girls' centres,
twenty-seven coaches being in use at the end of 1961. In the case of the older boys, the
making of their own way to the centres, by public transport if necessary, is felt to be an
important part of their training for community life and for this reason they are not
provided with coach transport. Where older boys are incapable of making their own way
to their centres unescorted, guides are provided for them. Individual transport has recently
been authorised for a small number of older boys who suffer an additional physical handicap
which would prevent their travelling by public transport; at the end of 1961 four boys
were being conveyed to and from their centres under this authority.
Special activities—A seaside holiday for about 200 trainees at a holiday camp on the
south-east coast has continued to be a popular feature. Trainees attending the camp are
supervised by volunteer members of the centre supervisory staffs under the direction of the
Organiser of Training Centres. The holiday is provided free of charge or at a reduced cost
for those trainees who are in need. Day outings to the seaside and other places of interest
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