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Queen Elizabeth s Training Centre for the
Disabled Leatherhead.
Woodlea, Egham- Industrial Rehabilitation
Centre
I R U and Government Training Centre. .
Perivale
Spastic Workshop, Ruislip
Labour Exchange
Heston Health Centre
Attended Marriage Guidance Council meeting
Staines
Attended Social Workers lunch time meetings
held once every two months
Attended 2 Teach-ins on physically handi
capped children organised by M S W
paediatric group and held at Hammersmith
Hospital
Attended Dr Calwell s weekly case conferences
at Child Guidance Clinic
Attended meetings which included EWO's
and Child Care Officers, C G C.
Larchmoor School for emotionally disturbed
deaf children
Queen Mary's Unit for disturbed boys Battle
Sussex
St 3ernard s Hospital Southall hospital and
social service department
Queen Mary s Carshalton
Attended Spastic Society Centre
Spina bifida play group Twickenham
In addition Mrs Harding attended fortnightly
seminars run by Dr L Goldie at the Nuffield
Centre on the problem of families with a handicapped
child and found these most useful from
the point of view of contacts made with other
social workers as well as the topics discussed
and the various units visited.
We intend to extend our knowledge even further
and although we will not be able to devote so much
time to it as the volume of our casework increases,
we would like to set aside one session a month to
this end
As a result of the initial month of observation
it was decided that Mrs Harding should be attached
to the Marjory Kinnon School and the Deaf School
and Hearing Clinic. Mrs Wisdom should attend
3usch House School and Martindale School and
Medical Advisory Unit
A pattern of work gradually emerged after an
initial period where we had to get to know the
many different disciplines involved in helping the
children and to explain what contribution we hoped
to make ourselves Unfortunately, social work is
not an easy job to define and many people have
erroneous ideas on the subject. It was very
important to us that the work we hoped to do was
fully understood and accepted. As newcomers we
did not wish to tread on other people s toes but
at the same time as trained social workers we
had pretty definite ideas of where we would and
would not best fit in. We have met with a very high
degree of sympathy and help in what we have been
trying to do and fa which we are most grateful.
In practical terms we have attended the medical
clinics at the schools and received referrals from
the following.
Doctors
Teachers
Physiotherapists
Health Visitors
Speech Therapists
We feel that a very important factor of our work
is linking together as much information from as
many different sources and bringing it together in
a written social report copies of which are given
to the doctor and head teacher concerned. Before
visiting a family we like to talk to the doctor the
head teacher the class teacher a physiotherapist
and speech therapist and where possible any
outside agency involved. It is amazing how varied
the impressions that any one family can make and
with so many people involved it is really necessary
for some one person to bring these opinions together
into a comprehensive whole.
One of the advantages that a social worker has
is that it is her job to have time to go into a social
problem exhaustively. It requires a great deal of
patient listening and the ability to assess the
problem objectively if any realistic conclusion is
to be reached With no axe to grind the social
worker is in a good position to do this
The initial approach to a family is all important
Whenever possible before visiting a family for the
first time we write a letter intimating that we wish
to see them in order to help with any problems they
may have in connection with their child s handicap
thus giving them the chance to refuse to see us. To
a parent we are sure that the well intentioned
authorities can appear very threatening It is a bad
situation where too many agencies are visiting the
same family and it is well recognised that where
possible one agency should visit and the other
interested parties should work through that agency
Having established that we are available to
help rather than interfere it has been our experience
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