View report page

64
these ocassions the social worker has worked closely with the family in
order to obtain a more realistic use of the money available and ensure
that the payment of rent is regarded as a priority.
All families in hostel accommodation are visited regularly and efforts
are made to encourage them to pursue any course which may provide a
solution to their problems. At the same time as the social worker advises
on the immediate problem of accommodation, attempts are made to
identify and then eradicate the causative factors.
In June an additional social worker was appointed to work exclusively
with families in the Council's temporary accommodation and with families
in financial difficulties and possibly threatened with eviction. This service
proved to be most valuable and in many cases the advice and help given,
together with approaches to landlords, resulted in eviction being postponed.
During the extra time thus gained and with the assistance of the social
worker, some families managed to solve their problems.
Towards the end of the year, preventive work with Council tenants
was extended and from September onwards officers attended the Rent
Arrears Sub-Committee of the Housing Committee. 22 cases were referred
and by the end of the year six of those families were out of debt and
regularly paying their way; two had moved away from the district whilst
in only one case was no progress made.
Accommodation
Towards the end of 1965 work commenced on two houses in Headstone
Road in order to adapt them to accommodate 7 homeless families.
The houses were ready for occupation in June when the first family was
admitted. Table I gives details of the 80 applications for temporary
accommodation received during the year, whilst Table II shows details of
the causation and solutions for the individual families' problems.