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34
Although the Administration Committee had approved the increase of the
establishment from 12 to 20 mental health social workers just before the end of
1969, the full complement had not been achieved at the end of 1970 when there
was a total of 17 mental health social workers apart from the Principal and
Deputy Principal. There were 14 mental health social workers (basic grade) and
3 assistant principal mental health social workers acting as team leaders for 3
of the new teams. This delay in filling all the posts was caused by a variety
of reasons.
The areas in which the new teams worked were the same as those already used
by the Welfare Department and similar to those envisaged for the new Social
Services Department. Each area has a team consisting of a team leader and 3
mental health social workers. This has eased the working conditions and liaison
with the hospitals who now know whom they can directly contact when they are
dealing with a patient from a special area. Two mental health social workers
were on training courses at the end of the year and a day centre leader started
a one year's course.
Centres
As usual the three Psychiatric Day Centres have been fully occupied during
the year. The referrals are still the same and the patients working there would
not be able to find work in the open market. The number of new patients admitted
to these centres during the year was 63; 6 clients were found jobs in open
industry and 21 were re-admitted to hospital.
The junior training centres has been functioning well. The number of pupils
on the roll is really beyond the optimum number recommended by the Department of
Health and Social Security. Each class should only have 10 pupils and with five
classrooms and 92 pupils on the roll, the number in each class is extremely high
and so makes it very difficult, in spite of the good work of the teachers, to
train the children satisfactorily.
During the year the Spastics Society offered funds for the construction of
a Special Care Unit for severely handicapped children. The Department had
planned to construct a Special Care Unit in the grounds of the junior training
centre at Ickburgh Road and the Council agreed that this now could be constructed
with the funds given by the Spastics Society. Accordingly a very comprehensive
and up-to-date plan was produced by the Spastics Society's Architects for
acceptance by the Council and it is hoped that the construction will be started
at the beginning of the new year. The unit will have 25 places, 5 of which will
be observation places.
During 1969 approval was given for an extension of the Special Care Unit
at Millfields to the ground floor of the neighbouring cottage, giving floor
space for 14 more children, and work on this was nearing completion at the end
of the year. There are still difficulties because pupils above the school
leaving age of 16 are still attending. The extension of this Special Care Unit
will improve present facilities as there will be 40 sq. ft. per child which is
required by the Regulations. However, the building is far too removed and
isolated from the junior training centre and should only be considered temporary
until such time that enough Special Care Unit facilities can be constructed
near the junior training centre. It was agreed during the year that attempts
should be made to obtain new premises and staff in order to establish a kind
of Special Care Unit for young adults. Although the philosophy may be to have
these severely handicapped adults working with the other mentally handicapped
at an adult centre, these youngsters are so handicapped with incontinence etc.,
that it would not be possible to look after them at the adult centre for
mentally handicapped in its present form.