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ten from each borough took part in the inter-centre competitions. Many parents,
visitors and trainees watched the events with Councillor Mrs. P. E. Joel, Chairman
of the Health Committee, and Councillor Mrs. M. M. Hawkins, who jointly presented
the medals to the winners. The Chairman also presented a plaque for the tug-of-war,
and the Sports Trophy, to the Haringey team, which won the team competition.
The Manager and staff continued the club for trainees which is held on the
premises from 3 p.m. onwards every Friday. Activities include dancing, singing, ten
pin bowling and other games.
Representatives of other local authorities and voluntary bodies, as well as
students and sociologists from universities in this country and overseas, visited the
centre. Their comments indicated that they were favourably impressed by the many
facets of the training programmes carried out and the level of attainment reached.
Hospital Admissions
Some severely subnormal persons are handicapped to such an extent that only
hospitals can provide the type of care they require. There is an acute shortage of
beds for such patients and South Ockendon Hospital has a long waiting list. During
the year an embargo was laid on admissions to South Ockendon Hospital because
of the severe overcrowding there. Only one Enfield patient was admitted for
permanent hospital care during 1969 and at the end of the year nineteen were on the
waiting list, including six particularly urgent cases. To relieve this unhappy situation,
the Council undertook the maintenance of three severely subnormal children in
residential homes pending their eventual transfer to hospital.
Guardianship
Placing a patient under guardianship does not confer extra powers to provide
services that are available to mentally disordered persons within the community
under Section 12 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968. It merely
provides powers, such as control over the patient's place of residence and his everyday
life, which may be necessary in the case of a small minority of patients for their own
welfare.
In general, the duties of guardians are to act in the absence or unsuitability of
the parents, and their powers are similar to those of a father over a child under the
age of fourteen years.
It was found necessary to place one severely subnormal person under the
Council's guardianship during the year and four persons were still under the formal
guardianship of the Council at the end of the year, suitable accommodation being
provided in each case.
Residential Accommodation and Informal Foster Care
Since there are, as yet, no homes or hostels in the borough for the mentally
subnormal, various voluntary homes and local authority hostels are used for the
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