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Health Visitor Problem Family Group and Problem Family Case Committee
The Health Visitor Problem Family Group continued its work until April. As
described in the Annual Report for 1957, a survey to be carried out by the health visitors
was organised, so that an estimate of the number of pre- problem and problem families in the
Borough could be obtained. A final report on the group's findings was prepared and an
analysis made of the survey results. It is of interest to quote some of the salient points.
Health Visitors Survey of Problem Families (Completed March 31st 1958)
Number of families 40
" " children at risk 210
Families with children under 5 years only 2
„„ „ „ and over 5 years 35
„ „ „over 5 years only 3
Unsatisfactory family factors
In 34 of the 40 families the mother's inability at housecraft and as a homemaker was
noted. In 28 households conditions had not improved in spite of the considerable help
generously given. In 27, the parents were unstable or showing evidence of marital disharmony
or other unhappy family relationships. In 24 of these families there appeared to be subnormal
intelligence in one or both parents. In 15 families there was evidence of neglect of the
children, including leaving them alone or unguarded from common dangers.
Main Recommendations of the Report
1. A special case worker. The group felt that ideally this worker should be an
experienced health visitor who also possessed Social Science qualifications. This case
worker would be a member of a co-ordinated team. She would take over responsibility for
a family when it was judged that the family had reached a stage of needing intensive help
which could not be given by the district health visitor. When improvement had been achieved
the district health visitor, who had been kept in the picture by her colleagues, would
again resume her contact with the household. In this way duplicating visits to the home
would be avoided. Liaison would be maintained with all others having responsibilities
towards the family so that, where possible, only one case worker would be supporting the
family and visiting the house.
2. Conditions of Service - In-service Training for Problem Family Home Helps. The
training home help is a valuable member of the team undertaking the rehabilitation of these
families. The group felt she needed careful selection and additional training for her
arduous task, mainly in connection with helping her to understand the kind of relationship
that she would need to build with the mother of the family. It was felt that the nature of
her duties warrented extra remuneration such as is given to home helps working in
tubercular households.
The recommendations put forward by the Problem Family Group formed the basis of a
report submitted by the Medical Officer of Health to the Health Committee in November.
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