Caring for People

In 1962 the National Council of Social Service set up a committee of enquiry into the staffing of residential homes under the chairmanship of Professor Lady Williams. The report of this four years work and study will be eagerly read by all concerned with 'caring for people'. The report takes a close look at residential care. It limits its scope to those establishments where the first aim is to provide a home. Subnormal-ity hospitals, prisons and borstals are excluded. Even with the development of community services there are still some adults and children who cannot live independently or within their family. Those in residential care nowadays need more skilled help. The report predicts a large increase in the number of those needing residential care in the next decade and discusses the problems this will cause in the recruitment of staff. At present two-thirds of the caring staff are single women but changes in marriage patterns mean that this source will rapidly disappear. It is urgent to find new sources of recruitment. There is a thoughtful discussion of the possible increase in the use of non-resident staff and the report concludes that this is an area for 'careful experiment'. Training is stressed, and a two-year course in colleges of further education is recommended. The course will be partly generic for all workers in the residential field, but will allow for specialisation in one or more types of the work. It is hoped this will lead to an improved career structure?'more rungs on the ladder' within the residential field itself. The chapters on the nature of the job and conditions of work rightly expose many problems of status, pay, hours of work and the isolation of staff. The report found a lack of understanding of residential work among fieldworkers and the general public. 'Caring for People' will do much to deepen and widen this understanding. It could provide a blueprint for a new profession.