PROBLEM FAMILIES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27452, 11 September 1954, Page 2

PROBLEM FAMILIES

COMMITTEE TO DIRECT ASSISTANCE A committee to deal with the more difficult aspects of neglected children and problem families has bee i formed in Christchurch. It is similar to committees functioning at Napier and at Wellington under the auspices of the Wellington Education Board. ‘‘'The purpose of such committees is to avoid over-treatment of the problem family with overlapping by various workers and, above all, to decide what is the wisest course to adopt towards any family that is a social problem," say the Director of the Division of Child Hygiene (Dr. G. T. McLeod) in the annual report of the Director-General o- Health, presented in the House of Representatives. “The mere provision of material help may not be the most appropriate action.” The board's committee consists of

the senior Inspector of schools of the Canter ury Education Board (Mr J. F. Johnson) as chairman, with psychologists, visiting teachers, and chili welfare officers from the Education Board staff, the probation officer (Mr D. S. Aitken) representing the Justice Department, a representative of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and the social worker of the child health clinic. The work of the committee is Integrated with that of the child health clinic. The problem families dealt with will incl de problem children who will be referred to the clinic through their own medical practitioners unless they come within some statute whereby the appropriate department can refer them to the clinic.