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93
Social Work in the Community - Domiciliary Visiting
The social welfare officers, under a senior social welfare
officer until July and for the remainder of the year under the direction
of the deputy chief welfare officer, have been working under intense
pressure and the number of persons placed in residential homes and the
amount of assistance provided for handicapped people does not in itself
illustrate the demanding nature of the work. The success of the work
of the social welfare officers cannot be measured in statistics; advice,
sympathetic guidance and help at the right time can prevent the need
for an elderly person to be placed in a home. Effective social work
support depends upon the co-operation of different agencies.
The demand from hospital medical social workers for help for
patients discharged home has been great and has required the co-operative
efforts of all the domiciliary services such as home helps, district
nurses, health visitors, as well as other statutory and voluntary
workers.
The social welfare officers made some 9888 visits during the
year, many of which were of an introductory nature as the first step in
ascertaining needs.

*This figure includes 26 persons who are included on the
departmental register and are the financial responsibility
of this authority, although they are residents in different
parts of the country.