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nurseries. In order to simulate conditions in open industry a clocking-on system
is in operation. The Centre is open for 40 hours a week. A mid-day meal is
prepared on the premises and the trainees have to pay for this daily.
A monetary award system is in operation, and trainees are paid a weekly figure
ranging from 8s. to £2 according to their diligence, ability and application.
Transport is provided to convey the trainees to and from the Centre, and every
effort is made to pick them up as near to their homes as possible. In some cases
they are expected to travel a short distance to a collecting point, and this, it is found,
is often of considerable help in their training.
The number of trainees successfully placed in employment during the year was
seven. Employment was found for a further four trainees, but not accepted by the
parents.
As in the case of children attending the Junior Training Schools, arrangements
were made with a neighbouring borough for adult trainees to go away to the seaside
for a summer holiday. The London Borough of Hounslow took responsibility for
this adult camp, and 27 went to St. Mary's Bay.
Although I feel that the service provided by this Centre is of a high order, the
premises are far from ideal, being in a hutted building. It is to be hoped that
this will be remedied in the not too distant future.
HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION
The Borough has no hostel accommodation of its own but it is hoped to build
one with 26 places (13 male and 13 female) on a site in Hanwell during 1966. Plans
have been prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Health.
It is necessary at present to use accommodation provided by neighbouring
Boroughs, and this authority has one severely sub-normal male in a hostel run by
the London Borough of Hillingdon and two patients in a hostel for sub-normal
males administered by the London Borough of Brent. In addition, two male school
leavers have been placed in a National Association for Mental Health Hostel for
the Maladjusted.
VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS
The Ealing Society for Mentally Handicapped Children provides a “sitter-in”
service intended to enable parents to leave their child at home under suitable
supervision. It is limited to children and adults who are severely sub-normal, and
the maximum time allowed to any one family is 10 hours a week in term time, and
15 hours during school holidays.
The procedure for obtaining a " sitter-in " is as follows:—
(1) An application form must be completed and sent to the Welfare Secretary
of the local Society for Mentally Handicapped Children.
(2) A member of the Association will then visit the family and determine
the number of hours that can be given, the charge per hour and the period for
which the service is required.
(3) The application form is then sent to the Medical Officer of Health for
approval.
HOSPITALS
The Borough of Ealing is fortunate in that it lies entirely within the catchment area
of one hospital for sub-normal children and adults, Leavesden Hospital at Abbots
Langley, near Watford. However, as this hospital also serves four other boroughs,
it is not always possible to obtain quickly permanent placements for urgent cases.
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