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Mother said she was feeling much better than she had been, though when it was
suggested she should make a more determined effort to wash the clothes she said she
had scalded her foot so was unable to do so. She said her husband gave her £9 each week.
In the last year she had committed herself to the hire purchase of a new television set,
a radiogram and washing machine but because she had fallen behind in her payments
these had been taken back by the different firms from whom they came. She was in
rent arrears to the amount of £35 as well as owing money for the 14-year-old who is
away at a school for maladjusted.
An attempt has been made recently to help this mother by supplying a home help
to try to educate her to a higher standard but she has not co-operated at all, if indeed
she is capable of co-operating.
While we were there she promised:—
(a) to contact her own doctor about her scalded foot.
(b) to treat the baby's ear with drops provided by the health visitor,
at her own doctor's suggestion.
(c) to get the dirty clothes washed.
She will, of course, do none of these things unless coerced or bullied (not too fiercely)
by the home help and the health visitor, who feels she is never off the doorstep. This
mother has very little knowledge of cooking and appears quite incapable of making a fresh
start. Her budgeting is non-existent and though at this both she and her husband may
try to improve, efforts are neither sufficiently strenuous not maintained for long enough.
Yet, there is in this home an atmosphere of affection—the children are fond of the
parents and the parents, in their way, are fond of the children and it would be a mistake
to break up this family so all the interested social agencies struggle on doing their best.
The general practitioner gives his time and skill, the health visitor advice and help,
the home help practical assistance and the home help organiser visits frequently. Many
other agencies are involved in trying to lift-up the standard of this socially inadequate
family.
Dealing with this type of family, fortunately not very common, involves long and
tedious hours of not very rewarding work in terms of quick or marked results, and for
which the health visitor has perhaps not sufficient time at her disposal.
Perhaps some thought should be given not only to the provision of a day housecraft
centre but to a specialist worker to deal with selected families.
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