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SECTION 29
HOME HELP SERVICE
Home Helps As in previous years, the shortage of home helps prevented
a full service being given in many cases. The Home Helps that
we do employ are on the whole conscious that their work
involves more than mere cleaning. In some Cases it may involve
taking charge of a young family when mother is ill and in other
cases work far beyond the strict line of duty is perfbrmed
willingly.
It is surprising, not that so few home helps ate employed
but that so many are willing to take on the job at slightly less
than 5s.l½d. an hour, when up to 7s.0d. may be earned in
private households.
The deployment of staff is the responsibility or the Senior
Home Help Organiser, Mrs. L. G. Lawrence, assisted by two
Home Help Organisers and one Assistant Organiser.
Mrs. Lawrence reports as follows:-
"In the Borough of Redbridge approximately 1,300 cases per
week are served. The demand on the Home Help Service is far
greater than the supply. About 75% of these cases are aged
and sick. The reason for this percentage is that parents are
only the moral responsibility of their children, and in quite a
considerable number of cases the children consider it is the
duty of the Local Authority to care for their parents. Shortage
of hospital beds is another reascin for the great demand.
Priority is given to lying-in mothers, families of young
children where the mother has been admitted to hospital,
persons acutely ill, bedridden and chairbound patients.