View report page

(3) Adult Training Centre: On April 1st 1966 the Centre started the year with 128 male and female
trainees in attendance. During the year 12 more trainees commenced attendance and two girls
left to start work and so we finished the year with 138 trainees on the register. It is very
pleasing to report that the two girls are still holding their jobs down and are hoping to continue
to do so.
During the year it was necessary to stop taking in more trainees as we have neither the
accommodation or staff to cope with any more in the Centre, so have once again had to start a
waiting list. During the year the Centre carried on its high standard of work in the handicraft
workroom and has made many articles for various departments of the Borough Council.
More work for local factories has been undertaken and regular work for four firms is now
carried out.
In July articles made in the workshops by the under-21 trainees were entered in the
Waltham ForestYouth Competition and gained many 1st, 2nd and 3rd awards and so scoring the
highest points to win the Cup for the second year running.
In September a variety of articles were entered in the Waltham Forest Exhibition for
Handicapped persons and here again won many top prizes.
In September 38 trainees, with 12 from the Junior Centre, were taken for a holiday at the
Dymchurch Holiday Camp for a week, from which they received great benefit. Also in
September an outing to Maldon for the day was arranged to the delight of the trainees.
In December the trainees were taken to Olympia to see Bertram Mills Circus, which was
enjoyed by all.
Despite shortage of staff a programme of social training and education has been carried
out which has led many of the trainees to become more self-reliant and capable of doing things
for themselves and so enjoy a fuller life.
The Centre ends the year more overcrowded than ever, but with the staff working well
together problems have been overcome and the Centre kept running smoothly and happily.
CHILD PSYCHIATRY
(1) Requests for help: More families containing children are referred to the clinic because of
closer working relationships with medical and social agencies; especially local medical
officers, where regular conferences are held with clinic staff. The psychiatric teams are also
finding greater selection in referring cases, with a bias towards the younger child, combined
with some social treatment, such as Development Clinic Playgroup. Regular visits to all
Welfare Clinics in the Borough are maintained, which leads to the discussions with Health
Visitors about families they have in common, and Student Health Visitors may be helped by
Psychiatric Social Workers. Only a few families can attend on a weekly basis because of the
pressure of work, but with increasing interest and understanding of the work to be done,
especially in some of the schools (like the special class Margaret Brearley school for
educationally subnormal children, where Miss Ford maintains a contact with Miss Barnby; and
the Lea Bridge Day school for maladjusted children, where all social workers take an interest
in children from families known to them), most of the people in daily contact with the children
can work along the same lines, thus broadening the plan of treatment.
- 16 -