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Supervision. At the end of the year 322 mental defectives (170 males and 152 females)
were under statutory supervision, 5 under friendly supervision, and 8 on licence from
Institutions.
These cases were visited by the Duly Authorised Officers at approximately quarterly
Intervals or more frequently if need be. In addition, informal contacts were maintained
with other cases who it was felt might be in need of friendly help or guidance from time
to time. They included individuals on the border-line of mental deficiency, barely able
to hold their own alone and defectives discharged from statutory Orders.
The majority of the defectives under statutory supervision are in fairly regular
employment and self-supporting. Those defectives considered capable of working but finding
difficulty in obtaining employment of a suitable nature are referred to the Disablement
Resettlement Officer and consultation takes place to decide the most suitable occupational
placing.
Guardianship. There were three defectives under guardianship at the end of the year.
They were all females aged 6l, 48 and 20 years respectively and have been with their present
guardians for 20, 18, and years, two being in convents as domestic workers and one in a
private household. As all the places of guardianship are outside the Borough the cases were
supervised by the local health authority of the area in which they reside and were, in
addition, visited at six-monthly intervals by a member of the Health Committee and the Deputy
Medical Officer of Health.
During the year two children were referred to the local education authority under
Section 8 of the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1948. In both cases the reports
of ineducability were withdrawn and the children are now attending a special school for the
educationally sub-normal.
One of the children, a boy aged 8£ years, was reported under Section 57(3) of the Education
Act, 1944, in December, 1952. His case was kept under constant review and he attended the
Occupation Centre. He was referred back to the local education authority in March, 1955. The
second case, a girl of 8 years, came to this area from Essex County Council in January, 1953,
having been reported to that authority under Section 57(3) of the Education Act, 1944, in
October, 1951. She also attended the Occupation Centre and was referred to the local education
authority in July, 1955.
Temporary Accommodation for Defectives. During the year arrangements were made for 10
defectives to receive temporary care. Six were females aged 39, 32, 17, 8, and 5 years and
four were males aged 16, 13, 10 and 5 years. Eight were accommodated at South Ockendon
institution by the kind permission of the Physician Superintendent; one by arrangement with
-he Guardianship Society, Brighton, and one was sent to a children's home.