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Problem Families
In November 1954 the Ministry of Health issued Circular 27/54 to local
health authorities on the subject of problem families and thought was given to
the question of dealing with such families known to exist in Hornsey and
Tottenham. In February 1955, the following report was considered by the Area
Committee who recommended to the County Health Committee that steps be taken
for the implementation of a scheme in this Area on the lines suggested.
The following extract from a booklet issued by Family Service Units
describes very clearly the subject of this report:-
"Problem family conditions are characterised by dirt, disintegration and
disorder. They are often shiftless, lazy and irresponsible to an almost
incredible degree. Financial mis-management is rife. The husband often
retains a disproportionate share of income an excessive amount may be
spent on drink, cigarettes or the cinema or wasted on children's pocketmoney.
As a result of this mis-spending they are constantly in debt and
in arrears with their payment for rent, clothing clubs, gas, electricity
and insurances".
"They sleep too many to a room and many to a bed, meals are irregular and
badly prepared; their homes are often devoid of cooking facilities or
utensils seldom are there enough chairs, crockery or cutlery for the
whole family. The staple diet of tea, bread, margarine, jam, cheap cake
and chips is taken standing up. Neither the parents nor the children have
any underclothing, night clothing or change of clothing and such as they
have is rarely washed or mended ."
In Tottenham and Hornsey there are known to be not less than 100 problem
fanilies, though some are naturally much worse than others.