View report page

Temporary & Permanent Residential Care
The demand for permanent residential care continues to
increase and great difficulty is experienced in obtaining vacancies
in hospital and private establishments. In consequence, it has
not been possible to satisfy all demands and it has been necessary
to establish a waiting list.
The requests for temporary residential care also continue
to increase and again the accommodation available is very
limited. Although it was not possible to meet the numerous
demands received, arrangements were made for 11 mentally
handicapped persons to be provided with care during the year.
This enabled the parents to enjoy a period of relief from the
cares and worries of looking after their children.
Belford Adult Training Centre
The Belford Adult Training Centre provided paid work,
recreational activities and social education for 146 mentally
handicapped men and women. The work of the programme of the
Centre is designed to help mentally handicapped people develop
to their maximum potential and acquire social skills to enable
them to take their place in society as far as possible. The
emotional and psychological needs of each individual and the
parents have to be assessed and helped so as to establish
maximum awareness and lasting relationship with the family as
well as good health.
The departments of the Centre include the woodwork section
where garden and domestic furniture are manufactured and
commercial contracts, including those from the Council, are
undertaken; an industrial unit where a large variety of commercial
contracts including packing, soldering, sorting, assembly, making
rubber link mats, plastic coat hangers and seed boxes, preparation
of firewood, making and assembling metal wall lamps, plant
holders and house signs, the making of sheets, pillowcases, tea
towels and curtains for old people’s homes etc. are also undertaken.
A further range of work and interest is provided by
maintaining gardens and other outdoor work and running the
Centre's allotment and green house.
The educational programme includes training in domestic
science and teaching competence with personal care and hygiene
72