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28.2 Caseworkers have been encouraged to continue to do short-term intensive
casework wherever possible as it has been shown beyond doubt that where a good relationship
has been made the client refers himself or herself back to the caseworker at
a later date if necessary: long-term support obviously continued for a number of families.
28.3 Towards the end of 1968 the family caseworker who had been seconded to the
applied social casework course at Bedford College a year earlier returned to the department.
At the same time, the welfare assistant was accepted at the North Western Polytechnic
for the two-year course leading to the certificate in social work.
28.4 The demand for practical placements for students from universities and technical
colleges continued, and it was possible to accept for long-term placements two students
doing the applied social casework course at Bedford College, and one doing the certificate
in social work course at the North Western Polytechnic. A number of students were
also accepted for short-term placements.
28.5 The family casework section is the base for the work of Miss K.M. Atherton,
Principal Social Worker, but she is also responsible to me for the home help and good
neighbour services. Moreover, she has acted since 1965 as the Secretary of the Camden
Family Service, and as such as liaison officer between Housing, Welfare, Children's
and Health Departments - a role which requires great diplomatic skill and some persistence,
e.g. the joint reports from the four departments are needed against a tight dateline.
My personal appreciation is shared by my fellow chief officers.
HEALTH EDUCATIOI*
PROGRAMME AND CAMPAIGNS
29.1 The health education programme of the Department is usually channelled in a
series of monthly themes, supplemented by specific campaigns to meet health education
needs identified in the Borough. In 1968, for example, the monthly themes were:-
January — Winter Health July - Summer Safety
February — Use of Leisure August - Smoking and Health
March — Social Hazards September - Immunisation
April — Clean Food October — Medicines with Care
May - Dental Health November — Noise Abatement
June — Mental Health December — Nutrition and Health
MENTAL HEALTH WEEKS
29.2.1 The last two of the present series of nationally organised Mental Health Weeks
were held in 1967 and 1968, the themes being respectively 'Work to be Done' and 'Targets
for Tomorrow*. A feature of the Camden campaign in both years was the organising of
film-shows and discussions in maternal and child welfare centres, at which speakers
from the mental health team of the Department were present to lead discussion and to
reply to questions. Audiences were composed both of regular clinic attenders and of
the general public; attendances were encouraging. Wide poster coverage was arranged on
outside sites, in libraries, maternal and child welfare centres, Council offices, doctor^'
surgeries and church halls. Leaflets dealing with various mental health problems, including
a programme of events and notices advertising the boarding-out scheme, were
available at many of these locations. Mental health social workers also visited secondary
schools and met students, with whom they discussed careers in the mental health field.
29.2.2 The 1967 Week opened with a very well attended public meeting in the Town
Hall, at which the Camden Association for Mental Health was inaugurated. In the 1968
Week, designed to emphasise five main areas in mental health urgently needing support
(research, education, prevention, treatment, care) two public meetings were arranged.
One, organised by the Camden Association for Mental Health, was held at the tenants'
common room, Regent's Park Estate; the film 'Stress' was shown and was followed by a
discussion. We are indebted to the Housing Manager for arranging the distribution of
leaflets throughout the Estate for the meeting. The response was exceptionally good.
The other public meeting, held at Christopher Hatton School, was arranged by the Parent
Teacher Association of this school and St. George the Martyr School. Two films were
shown and were followed by discussions.
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