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by the Association; at Parnham House (National Association for Mental Health); at
Winston House, Cambridge, and Hill House, Elstree (S.O.S. Society); at Cheshire
Foundation, Richmond Fellowship and Jewish Welfare Board hostels. Persons who are
maintained by the Council contribute towards the cost according to their means.
As regards mentally subnormal persons, private homes and hostels run by voluntary
organisations are used when this form of care is considered appropriate. Placings are
made in convents and other training establishments run by religious communities and
through the Guardianship Society, Brighton. At the end of 1964 the Council was maintaining
186 subnormal persons under these arrangements.
Grant-aided hostels—The Council contributes 90 per cent of the net cost of maintenance
of a hostel for the after-care of alcoholics run by the West London Mission, at the Alcoholic
Rehabilitation Centre in Lambeth. This hostel opened in 1961 to provide after-care for
up to 40 persons who have received psychiatric treatment and who are under the continuous
supervision of psychiatrists. Subsequently, in 1963, a female wing for up to 12
patients was opened. During 1964 a total of 174 men and 27 women were resident in the
hostel.
A similar maintenance grant is paid by the Council to the Easton House Trust in respect
of a hostel opened in 1963 in Stoke Newington for leavers from the Council's boarding
special schools for maladjusted boys. The hostel provides accommodation for 12 boys
and was fully occupied throughout 1964.
Short-term care and holidays for mentally disordered persons—The provision of short
term residential 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 1964, 529 persons were placed under these
arrangements for periods normally not exceeding eight weeks. 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.
Recuperative holidays are provided for persons recovering from mental illness in the
same way as for those who have suffered from physical illness. During the year 159 persons
were given holidays for two or three weeks in approved recuperative holiday homes.
Each year since 1951, the Council has organised a two-week seaside holiday for about
200 mentally subnormal children and adults who attend training centres, at a holiday
camp at St. Mary's Bay, Dymchurch, Kent.
A grant to a local branch of the National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children,
towards the cost of purchasing two caravans to be used to provide seaside holidays for
families with mentally subnormal children, was approved by the Council in 1964.
Training for mentally subnormal and severely subnormal persons
In 1960, when the Council submitted to the Ministry of Health its proposals for the
development of the mental health services, 21 centres were provided for the training
of mentally subnormal and severely subnormal persons, with places for 700 children
of school age, 295 for older girls and women, and 275 for youths and men—a total of
1,270 places. Of the nine junior training centres, two were purpose-built, four were in
adapted premises and the remaining three were accommodated in church halls. Only
three of the twelve adult centres were in buildings owned or leased exclusively by the
Council.
The proposals envisaged the following future developments :
(i) replacement of centres in church halls and other unsuitable premises by purposebuilt
centres or by premises specially adapted for the purpose and the provision
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