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MENTAL SUBNORMALITY
The borough is within the catchment area of South Ockendon and Harperbury
Hospitals to which patients requiring hospital care for mental subnormality are
admitted.
Domiciliary Service
The number of subnormal persons in community care was 345 compared with
441 in 1968. This reduction is a reflection of the curtailment of domiciliary social
work necessitated by shortage of staff. The actual number of subnormal persons in
the community is of course much higher than those receiving visits. The mental
welfare officers paid 1,087 visits and 96 office interviews were carried out.
Time was devoted to the parents in an endeavour to help them 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 mental welfare
officers play an important part.
Seven trainees left the supervision of the Adult Training Centre to enter ordinary
employment.
In September, arrangements were made with the Council's adviser in subnormality,
Dr. W. Livingston, to hold a monthly out-patient clinic at the offices of
the Health Department for the purpose of assessment and review of mentally
subnormal patients in the community. Cases are presented by mental welfare officers
in circumstances where specialist medical advice is required. By the end of the year,
three out-patient clinics had been held and twelve patients seen by the consultant.
This arrangement has the double advantage of saving patients and relatives journeying
to and from hospitals, and facilitates immediate liaison between all those concerned
with the community care services.
Junior Training Schools
These schools are provided for those children who, under Section 57 of the
Education Act, 1944, are found to be suffering from a disability of mind of such a
nature or to such an extent as to make them unsuitable for education at a school
provided by the local education authority.
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