London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kingston upon Thames 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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49
PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER CARE
The Welfare and Prevention of Break-up of Families
The annual co-ordinating conference was held at the
Guildhall in July. Because of the increasing number of families
coming on to the register and the general pressure of work on all
those involved, it was agreed that in future the reports on cases
opened and closed should be circulated half-yearly in May and
November instead of quarterly. In an attempt to bring some
uniformity into the information to be integrated into the register,
it was decided that forms should be issued.
The question of the need for 'special' home helps to be
employed for assisting with the training in housewifery was
discussed and it was generally agreed that if such a service could
be provided it would be of much help in a selective number of cases.
The position during the year was:
| Date | Number of families "At Risk" | Number of children involved |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 1.68. | 144 | 539 |
| 31.12.68. | 212 | 629 |
The causes of failure or difficulty may be classified as follows:
| Cause | Number of families |
|---|---|
| Marital | 70 (33.0%) |
| Material (Housing, Employment, Financial) | 201 (94.8%) |
| Disorders (Physical, Mental, Psychological) | 137 (64.6%) |
| Care of Home and Children | 59 (27.8%) |
| Desertion | 27 (12.7%) |
| Delinquency | 33 (15.6%) |
| Other Reasons | 46 (21.7%) |
The total percentage is more than 100 as most families are
included under more than one heading.