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93
Families in Welfare Services Accommodation:-
Report by the Health Visitor co-ordinating this work.
Throughout the year, the emphasis was again on assisting
families, either in the Receiving Homes, or on the District, to
achieve a better standard of home conditions, and to help them
to a more settled mode of living. There was particular effort
on the prevention of homelessness, with a corresponding increase
in the work of visiting potentially homeless families. I found,
generally speaking, that families were more ready to co-operate
with all those willing to help solve their problems, and that
families, generally, assumed a greater responsibility towards
themselves and towards the community.
The co-operation between the various Corporation Departments
and Voluntary Societies, was again on a very high level,
with good interchange of home visiting, reports and records, all
of which resulted in less duplication of visiting and a greater
time being spent with individual families. Although a certain
amount of cross-visiting occurred, in my opinion there was
little over-visiting. On the whole the children in the Receiving
Homes were well cared for during the year, and the parents were
more appreciative of the social services. The number of
families actually resident in the Receiving Homes declined
towards the end of the year. The constant supervision in the
Receiving Homes was of great assistance in keeping family standards
at a fairly high level.
It is undoubtedly true to say that, with the solving of the
problems of those families who have remained in the Receiving
Homes for long periods, has come a readier co-operation from
other families to solve their own difficulties, to accept their
responsibilities, and to meet their commitments, e.g., rent. The
Receiving Homes are now accepted as temporary accommodation
units only, and, as a consequence, I have found individual
families willing to investigate any possibility of solving their
problems. Advice is accepted readily, and with supervision, is
usually carried out.