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RECUPERATIVE HOLIDAYS
All holidays are normally looked on as being recuperative to a greater or lesser extent, but the
Council's scheme is in the main restricted to those persons who after illness or operation would be most
likely to benefit by two weeks convalescent holiday in a suitable home. If medical or nursing care is
necessary this form of convalescence is arranged through the aimoners at the hospitals.
As a natural course of events the demand for holidays under this scheme for elderly persons is on
the increase, but the demand on holiday homes is such that it is not possible to accommodate them all
during the accepted holiday season. Not unnaturally, too, there is a reluctance on the part of some
applicants to go away on holiday other than during the summer and this gives rise to a heavy demand in
the summer months and under-occupancy of some convalescent homes during the rest of the year.
During the year the Council accepted financial responsibility for 201 persons in recuperative
holiday homes. 139 were admitted to such homes and of the remainder, 56 were cancelled or withdrew
and six were outstanding on the 31st December 1965. Of the 201 cases accepted, 197 were adults and
four children under school age.
In addition there were 12 applicants for recuperative holidays who were not eligible for holidays
under the Council's scheme.
24 children were recommended under Section 48 of the Education Act 1944, 17 of whom were
placed in recuperative holiday homes and the remainder were either cancelled or withdrawn.
THE CARE OF THE UNSUPPORTED MOTHER
Referred to Department 203
Admitted to Red Gables 24
Admitted to other Local Authority homes 38
Admitted to voluntary homes 57
Not admitted 84
(These figures include those admitted to homes before 1st April 1965
and still in on that date)
Admission to Red Gables from other Boroughs 53
Thereasonswhygirlsseekadmissiontomother and baby homes are varied. Girls living in lodgings
orthose whoserelationshipwith their parents is poor and made impossible by the disclosure of pregnancy,
are obvious candidates. As well as these, whom one might class as homeless, are those who leave home
tosave their families and particularly younger members embarrassment; in this 3orough the proportion who
deliberately come into the area because of pregnancy are few. There are always a certain number who
make no arrangements at all for their babies and need immediate post-hospital arrangements. As well
as these, there are girls who would consider themselves members of a happy home who seek admission
and who benefit from removal from the emotional tensions of home. Bitter words are not easily forgotten
and admission gives an opportunity for tempers to simmer down and for the family to sort things out; this
is particularly true when the boy concerned is known to, and disapproved of by the family. Mostly in
such cases the girl wil leventually return home grateful and surprised at the consideration her family later
give her. A girl who wishes to keep her baby and who has no home or none prepared to accept her, will
probably require longer in a home before she can make satisfactory arrangements; hostel vacancies are
few and private accommodation difficult to obtain.
It will be seen that more than a third of referrals do not require admission. The great majority of
these stay at home and subsequently keep their babies; what at first seemed an impossible situation is
later accepted. Others will marry and these are by no means always forced marriages. There has been an
increase in the numbers demanding fostering straight from hospital prior to adoption. These give much
work and anxiety to the case worker as it is often difficult to obtain a vacancy with a temporary foster
mother suitable for a baby straight from hospital. Though a good number of these girls will at the
eleventh hour decide to take their babies home, they would feel let down if the foster mother was not
available if they wished for one.
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