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48
Crosfield Industrial Unit
This Unit was transferred to larger but temporary premises
in an old factory on 31st March. It now not only provides long
term work or rehabilitation facilities for all categories of the
severely disabled but also acts as the co-ordinating headquarters
for industrial work undertaken by the other Centres in
Croydon.
This unified organisation has facilitated the rationalisation
of contract seeking and the allocation, control and continuity
of work projects throughout the various centres. Needless
competition has been eliminated and larger contracts can be
accepted whilst the distribution of work and the movement of
patients between the centres has been made much simpler.
The Adult Training Centre for the subnormal, the Craft and
Industrial Work Centre for the physically handicapped, the Day
Hospital for the mentally ill and Warlingham Park Hospital all
provide the special services or particular emphasis which their
patients require. Each centre also assesses and prepares those
patients who need to move on to the more realistic factory
setting which the Crosfield Industrial Unit can provide.
At the Crosfield Industrial Unit attention is focused more
on the working ability of the trainee and rather less on his
particular handicap. This difference of emphasis as compared
with the more specialised centres both helps and is helped by
the mixture of disabilities represented. This, in turn, is made
possible by careful selection and preparation of the trainees.
The Unit has a weekly Works Committee of trainees and an
instructor to discuss work problems and policy. Another weekly
meeting attended by a psychiatrist, psychologist, disablement
resettlement officer, social worker and senior unit staff is
concerned with the medical, social and other needs of the
trainees and reviews their general progress. A social club is
held for the trainees one evening each week. In addition to
games, handicrafts and an art group, the club has the help of a
qualified teacher to teach elementary arithmetic, reading and
writing.
Payment to most of the trainees is by way of incentive
pocket money supplementation to state benefits although a group
of 7 trainees are paid wages under special schemes. Application
has been made to the Ministry of Labour for sheltered workshop
recognition which would enable wages to be paid to approved
trainees.