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on alternate Thursday evenings to see residents needing advice. During the year
there were 24 admissions and in addition, one person was admitted for a few days
in an emergency. Twenty-four persons ceased to reside at the hostel during the
year for the following reasons: fifteen returned to home or relatives; five returned to
hospital; one was admitted to residential employment; one was admitted to an
Industrial Rehabilitation Unit; one was transferred to another local authority's
hostel; and one died.
The number of residents at the end of the year was nineteen, including three
from other authorities. Thirteen were in gainful employment. The Council continued
to accept financial responsibility for the care and maintenance of Enfield
patients, who were considered to be unsuitable for acceptance in the Council's own
hostel, in mental after-care hostels administered by voluntary assocations such as
the S.O.S. Society and the Mental After-Care Association.
At the end of the year, there were nine patients maintained in voluntary hostels
and one in a private household.
MENTAL SUB-NORMALITY
The borough is within the catchment area of South Ockendon and Harperbury
Hospitals, which admit patients requiring hospital care for mental sub-normality.
Domiciliary Service
The number of subnormal persons in community care was 441. The mental
welfare officers paid 1,440 home visits, and 52 office interviews were carried out.
Much time was devoted to the parents in an endeavour to help them to come
to terms with the problems with which they are faced, and in assisting them to
provide an environment in which both the child and the family are more fitted
to enjoy a fuller life within the community.
The "School Leavers" conferences, concerning the educationally subnormal
boys and girls leaving the special schools, continue to be held. Many of these
young persons need help and guidance in respect of job selection, and benefit
considerably from the service provided for them. In order to find work that is
within their capabilities, the co-operation of the Careers Officer and the Disablement
Resettlement Officer of the Department of Employment and Productivity is sought.
A co-operative attitude on the part of employers is of considerable importance in
developing an understanding of the problems of the subnormal, and in this field
the mental welfare officers play an important part.
Three trainees left the supervision of the Adult Training Centre to enter
ordinary employment.
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