View report page

it is remarkable how well they respond to the assistance given.
It would be of great benefit if there was a centre at which the
higher grade and able-bodied cases could attend for specialised
training.
In the majority of cases these visits are welcomed, but in
a few instances, generally in the case of the higher grade feebleminded
defectives who are at work, resentment is felt against this
visiting. Generally in these cases the parents consider their
children to be normal, and feel that supervision casts a stigma
on them. Although in many instances the homes of the defectives
are poor, in most cases the parents care for the patients to the best
of their ability.
Institutional accommodation.
General. The number of West Ham mental defectives
detained in institutions under Order is 244. Of these 96 are in
South Ockendon Colony and 55 in Forest Gate Hospital. The
remainder are in various outside institutions. South Ockendon
Colony and Forest Gate Hospital are both under the control of
this Council, but approximately one-third of the beds at South
Ockendon Colony are allocated to patients from the County
Borough of East Ham, while a proportion of the beds at Forest
Gate Hospital are allotted to patients from the County Borough
of East Ham and Essex County Council. Great difficulty is still
being experienced in obtaining beds for mental defectives in suitable
institutions owing to the lack of accommodation, but this will
be very largely overcome when the present extension scheme which
is in progress at South Ockendon is completed.
(a) South Ockendon Colony. The present accommodation
at South Ockendon consists of 134 beds—44 beds for male
adults, 30 for female adults, 40 for male children, and 21 for
female children.
The extension scheme at this Colony is now nearing complc
tion, and the new buildings will probably be ready for occupation
in the summer of 1939. The scheme as approved will provide
facilities for training and care of an additional 340 patients of
various grades. In the Colony there will be three villa blocks,
each accommodating 60 adult male patients, one villa block for
60 adult female patients, one villa block for 50 male children and
one for 50 female children, together with male and female
348