Occupation Centres?The Present Position
In May, 1922, it will be remembered that the C.A.M.W. published a pamphlet on the subject of Occupation Centres urging their extension and describing the position with regard to them as it was at that date. Since then, however, developments have been so rapid that some short review of the present situation together with a list of Centres revised up-to-date, seems needed, and it is the purpose of this article?pending the issue of another edition of the pamphlet?to supply that need.
From the list enclosed as a supplement to this issue, it will be seen that at the moment of writing there are in existence 47 Centres and that one more is in process of being opened. 25 have paid supervisors, 15 have an attendance of between 12 and 20 children, and 14 are open every day in the week; 8 Voluntary Associations or Committees are responsible for more than one Centre each. To the Leeds Centre we would particularly call attention as being an experiment of great interest and as indicating a method of ‘ ‘After-Care” which the next few years may well see extended to other areas and which should provide data of great value.
It is also noteworthy that two or three Associations have been instrumental in establishing small Occupation Classes in their local Poor Law Institutions for defectives in the Guardians’ care, a method of co-operation which we hope will in the future be widely practised.*
In a Questionnaire recently circulated to form the basis of this article, we asked that any special difficulties which had been met with in running Occupation Centres might be noted. In response, the one that is most frequently referred to is that of “escort.” Unless paid guides are employed it seems almost impossible for a Centre to touch an area wide enough to ensure a really good regular attendance and all the evidence acquired so far seems to point conclusively to the fact that this item of ‘ ‘guides’’ will have, in future, to be included in every estimate of expenditure which is drawn up. With regard to discipline, one Secretary alludes to the difficulty of dealing in a Centre with the “unstable” type of child for whom she feels residential care is essentially needed. Another reports that the feeble-minded children attending the Centre (owing to the lack of a Special School in the district) are found to be more difficult to control than the lowergrade children?a comment which bears out the contention we have persistently made as to the undesirability of looking upon Occupation Centres as being adequate substitutes for Special Schools. Otherwise, however, this question of discipline does not, contrary to some people’s expectation, seem to have caused as a general rule any serious trouble.
A point of interest mentioned by a Secretary who has opened in her area more than one Centre, is that the children attending the one held in the morning seem to progress more rapidly than those attending another held in the afternoon. ?On this subject see article in our April number, ” Mental Defectives under the Poor Law; How the Problem is dealt with at Ipswich.” P. 36.
The good effects of Centre training are almost universally put on record, and that Centres are “worth while” is now, we think, established beyond dispute. The services of Miss Wingate, our Centre Organiser, have been and continue to be in steady demand, and she has already visited some six or seven areas either to start new Centres or to help in the consolidating of those already existing. The Agnes Western Centre in Finsbury continues to be avilable for the training of prospective Supervisors who are free to come to London, and several students have already taken advantage of the opportunities which it offers. The Centre is under the auspices of the C.A.M.W. working through a local Committee in close co-operation with the London Association, and its training department is in charge of Mrs. Anderson (Case Secretary of the C.A.M.W.) who has had many years’ experience as a teacher in Special Schools. Every effort is made by the staff to introduce all the most recent developments which can be suitably adapted to the methods of training possible in a Centre, and students and visitors are always cordially welcomed,
The necessity of having a trained Supervisor, if really effective work is to be done is, we are glad to note, emphasised by the Board of Control in a recent Circular, and any expense connected with the provision of such training they are prepared to take into account for the purposes of grant.
That the Board of Control are wholeheartedly in favour of Occupation Centres is borne witness to in this same Circular issued recently to County and County Borough Councils. It draws the attention of Local Authorities to the value of Centres as providing a method of making Supervision more effective, and announces the repeal of Article 15 of the Provisional Regulations under the Mental Deficiency Act which, by specifying that Supervision is to be carried out by means of “inspection and visitation” might be interpreted as prohibiting the support of Centres under this heading and thus making the giving of a grant for the purpose as ultra vires. This possible obstacle is now, however, withdrawn and the Board definitely state that they expect that a certain proportion of the expenses of Centres run by Voluntary Associations shall be refunded by Local Authorities in addition to any grants paid direct by the Board to Centre Committees. It also empowers Local Authorities, “in exceptional circumstances,” to start and maintain Centres themselves.
With Occupation Centres established as part of the work of Supervision, their future may be said to be assured, and now that the uncertainties and difficulties of the experimental phase of their development have been successfully overcome, we feel confident in giving the assurance that we are on the threshold of a period ?f steady progress and expansion.
Supplement to “Studies in Mental Inefficiency, “July, 1923. LTST OF OCCUPATION CENTRES* {July, 1923). Association or Authority Responsible Date opened.
No. of Days open. Staff. Aver. Attend. Remarks. BATH VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. BRISTOL VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION CENTRAL ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL WELFARE. (Agnes Western Centre). Finsbury, E.C. CROYDON M.D. COMMITTEE ESSEX VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. East Ham IPSWICH VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. LANCS., CENTRAL, VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Blackburn Preston Burnley LANCS., NORTH, VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Barrow Lancaster LANCS., WEST, VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Liverpool 1920 March 1923 October 1922 February 1923 November 1921 2 afternoons 2 afternoons 5 afternoons (a) November 1921 1 afternoon. (b) March 1922 1 afternoon. (c) May 1922 1 2 afternoons January 1920 j 3 afternoons May 1920 I 5 mornings. (?) March 1921 1 afternoon. (?) August 1921 2 afternoons (c) February 1923 ! 1 afternoon. September 1921 1 afternoon. 1 afternoon. 1 afternoon. St. Helen’s 1921 2 afternoons (a) March 1920 2 afternoons (fc) 20th June 1923 2 mornings 13th Juno 1923 2 afternoons Secretary of Voluntary Association. Paid Supervisor. One visiting teacher for dancing. Paid Supervisor, with Voluntary help, including medical gymnast once a week. Voluntary Handicraft Teachers. Do. Voluntary Teacher Paid Supervisor Paid Supervisor. Some Voluntary help. Voluntary Workers. Secretary of Association, with voluntary help. Voluntary Workers. Voluntary Workers. Secretary of Association. Secretary of Association , with voluntary help. do. Paid Supervisor, with voluntary help. Also paid pianist once a week. Paid Supervisor Paid Supervisor 9 12 12 For Girls over 16. For ex-special School children. Used also as a training centre for Students. Paid “Guides” employed. For Girls over 16. For Boys over 16. For “Excluded” Children. Further developments under consideration. Scheme for further Centres has been drawn up. Paid “Guides” employed. The Supervisor is shared by the local Poor Law Institution where she takes classes in the afternoons. For Girls only. For Girls only. For boys only. Run by members of “Toe H.” Held in Poor Law Institution?all grades of children. Held in Poor Law Institution. For girls only?all grades. Proposal under consideration for providing “Guides” and increasing number of days open. ‘ ‘Guide’’ employed for one case. Chiefly attended by older defectives. Held in Settlement. To be opened 5 mornings shortly do. ?For children excluded from school unless otherwise stated. Association or Authority Responsible. Date of opening. No. of day open. Staff. Av. Attend. Remarks. LANCS., S.E. VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Manchester Salford LEEDS VOLUNTARY COMMITTEE. LONDON ASSOCIATION Whitechapel Southwark Islington.. Poplar Battersea North Kensington Brixton NORWICH M.D. COMMITTEE OXFORD VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. PORTSMOUTH VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. SOMERSET VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Weston-Super-Mare Taunton Street (a) May 1922 <b) Decembei 1922 ic) 1922 January 1923 March 1923 June 1920 October 1922 April 1923 April 1923 April 1923 April 1923 April 1923 September 1922 March 1923 September 1920 November 1920 October 1921 September, 1922 5 mornings 4 afternoons 4 afternoons Paid Supervisor. Paid Supervisor. Paid Supervisor. 5 mornings Paid Supervisor. 5 J days. 5 afternoons 5 afternoons 5 afternoons 5 afternoons 5 afternoons 5 afternoons 1 afternoon’. 5 mornings. 2 afternoons. 4 afternoons. 3 whole days 2 whole days 2 whole days Paid Instructor. Paid Supervisor, with voluntary help. Paid Supervisor. Paid Supervisor, with voluntary help. As above. Paid Supervisor. As above. As above Local Authority’s “Visitor of Defectives.” Paid Supervisor Assisted by Petition Officer of Local Authority. Paid Supervisor. Org. Instructress with paid Assis tant. Org. Instructress. Org. Instructress. 12 15 15 12 24 12 to 16 12 to 14 10 to 14 14 to 16 12 to 14 approx. 6 Held in Settlement. Held in Poor Law Institution. For ex-Special School boys. Recognised by Ministry of Labouras a Train ing Centre. Maintenance allowance paid to trainees after month’s trial. Paid “Guidei” employed. Organising Instructress employed to run three Centres. Feeble-minded and “exclude*” Children admitted. “Too early to say definitely. Associations or Authority responsible STAFFORDSHIRE VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Stafford SUFFOLK VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Lowestoft SURREY VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Woking Kingston. WARWICKSHIRE VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Warwick WILLESDEN VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Willesden WILTSHIRE VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. Salisbury Trowbridge WORCESTER VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. WORTHING ASSOCIATION FOR THE MENTALLY & PHYSICALLY AFFLICTED YORKSHIRE VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION. York Date of Opening No, of Days I Open Staff September 1922 November, 1922 March 1922 April 1922 October 1921 June 1921 May 1922 October 1921 3 afternoons 2 afternoons 1 morning. 1 afternoon. 2 afternoons Centre 3 afternoons Centre To be 5 mornings. 1 afternoon. 5 mornings. Paid Supervisor with voluntary help. Paid Supervisor. Voluntary Workers. Voluntary Workers just opened Voluntary Workers. just opened opened shortly. Paid Supervisor with voluntary help. Voluntary workers. Paid Supervisor. Aver, Attend. Bemarks 2 to 3 9 For defective girls over 14. Original attendance 9 or 10. but for various reasons numbers have fallen. Some older defectives attend in addition to children.
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