View report page

There is a need for hostel accommodation for mentally ill persons recovering after hospital
treatment, etc, and this could usefully be situated within convenient travelling distance of the
Re-Instate Ltd. premises.
MENTALLY SUB-NORMAL PERSONS
JUNIOR TRAINING CENTRES
Two junior training centres in the Borough were transferred from Kent County Council in 1965,
one with 80 places at Crayford and the other with 40 places at Sidcup. There was also a proposal
by Kent County Council to purchase a site at The Hollies Children's Home, Sidcup, previously
owned by the London County Council, but transferred to Southwark London Borough, on which
a new junior training centre was to be built to replace the inadequate rented premises of Sidcup
Training Centre. The London re-organisation occurred before negotiations had been completed
between the London County Council and the Kent County Council and it was four years before
the site was finally bought by Bexley London Borough from Southwark London Borough. A new
centre for 60 places capable of future expansion to 80 places to replace Sidcup Centre is now
under construction and should be completed by early or mid-1970. It will be known as the
Marlborough Training Centre.
A further project under consideration is a new junior centre to replace the Crayford premises
either on a site adjoining the present Centre or as part of a joint scheme with Greenwich London
Borough and the South-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board in the grounds of Goldie
Leigh Hospital. This scheme would offer the widest facilities for training and also medical supervision
of the children. Discussions are still taking place in respect of this project.
In-service training courses for the staffs of training centres were introduced in 1966. Since 1967
two such courses have been held each year in conjunction with the Health Departments of the
neighbouring London Boroughs of Bromley and Greenwich and staff from both these authorities
and from Goldie Leigh Hospital attend and the courses are held in each Borough in turn.
SWIMMING INSTRUCTION
During the last quarter of 1967 trainees at the Shenstone and Sidcup Junior Training Centres
were, with the consent of their parents, given swimming instruction at the Crook Log Baths.
Trainees attended normally one morning each week under the supervision of the Centre Supervisors.
The number of attendances made by children were
1967
98
1968
363
1969
365
42