INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS C. E. GATHERCOLE, Principal Psychologist, Bryn-y-Neuadd Hospital, Llanfairfechan, G wynedd. Where do parents find out about all the services which are available for their handicapped child ? Hard experience teaches them their way around if they do not admit defeat and give up. How much easier it would be if all the information on local services were brought together in a booklet for easy reference ! It might save some of the frustration of battling just to find out what is provided. This idea is spreading like wildfire at the moment and several areas already have such booklets published, such a s : Cumpuign for the Mentully Hundicuppecl “Mental Handicap in Bristol - A Review” (1975) Available from : 24 Walsingham Road, Bristol. Curdif! Campuign for the Mentally Handicupped “A review of the services for the mentally handicapped in Cardiff”. Available from : C.M.H. Cardiff, Cardiff University Social Services Joint Students’ Union. Park Place, Cardiff. Cambridge Society for Mentully Huridicupperl Children “A Guide to the Services for the Mentally Handi- capped and their Parents” (1 975) Available from : Mr. T. Simpson. Secretary, C.S.M.H.C., 27 Overcote Lane, Needingworth, Huntingdon. “Camden Handbook for Parents with a Handi- capped child”. Cutnden Social Services Depurtinerlt A&able from : London Borough of Camden, Willing House, 356-364 Grays Inn Road. London WClX 8BH. More are in preparation and will shortly be published : Gwynedd A reu Heulth A ut horit v ‘(;rervices for the Mentalfy Handicapped in Gwvnedd”. Available from : Sector Administrator, Bryn-y- Neuadd Hospital, Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd. A booklet which will be available from : Broughton Hospital, Nr. Chester. A booklet which will be available from : The Secretary, Sutton and West Merton Community Health Council, c/o Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 4NR. Some of the bookIets provide information only, whereas others include comment on the services in existence and recommendations for improvement. They usually list the services provided by health, social services and education departments as well as by voluntary agencies. They often include additional sections on holidays, leisure, local and national organi- sations. They give addresses and telephone numbers of key people and places and say how to make contact with the people or services required. The Gwynedd bookIet is being circulated to all professionals concerned with mental handicap as well as CIwyd Areu Heultlz Authority Sutton und We.\t Mertori Health District to all families with a handicapped member. Few professionals, if any, have up-to-date information on all services for the mentally handicapped a t their fingertips and some would not know where to find the answers to many questions asked by parents. The booklet should therefore help general practitioners, social workers, health visitors and other professionals to assist parents. Perhaps eventually these information booklets could be jointly published by local health, social services and education departments. They could help local planning teams and policy review bodies to review services. Within a few years it is IikeIy that every area of the Country will have its own booklet. Do not expect health or local authority services to provide them however. All those produced SO far have only reached publication through the initiative of interested individuals and groups of people who have been prepared to gather the information together, collate it, and check it for accuracy. Are you in a position to do this for your area ‘? You will provide a valuable service for mentally handicapped people and their families if you can. 17

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS

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INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS

C. E. GATHERCOLE, Principal Psychologist, Bryn-y-Neuadd Hospital, Llanfairfechan, G wynedd.

Where do parents find out about all the services which are available for their handicapped child ? Hard experience teaches them their way around if they do not admit defeat and give up. How much easier it would be if all the information on local services were brought together in a booklet for easy reference ! It might save some of the frustration of battling just to find out what is provided. This idea is spreading like wildfire a t the moment and several areas already have such booklets published, such a s :

Cumpuign for the Mentully Hundicuppecl “Mental Handicap in Bristol - A Review” (1975) Available from : 24 Walsingham Road, Bristol.

Curdif! Campuign for the Mentally Handicupped “A review of the services for the mentally handicapped in Cardiff”. Available from : C.M.H. Cardiff, Cardiff University Social Services Joint Students’ Union. Park Place, Cardiff.

Cambridge Society for Mentully Huridicupperl Children

“A Guide to the Services for the Mentally Handi- capped and their Parents” (1 975) Available from : Mr. T. Simpson. Secretary, C.S.M.H.C., 27 Overcote Lane, Needingworth, Huntingdon.

“Camden Handbook for Parents with a Handi- capped child”.

Cutnden Social Services Depurtinerlt

A&able from : London Borough of Camden, Willing House, 356-364 Grays Inn Road. London WClX 8BH.

More are in preparation and will shortly be published : Gwynedd A reu Heulth A ut horit v

‘(;rervices for the Mentalfy Handicapped in Gwvnedd”. Available from : Sector Administrator, Bryn-y- Neuadd Hospital, Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd.

A booklet which will be available from : Broughton Hospital, Nr. Chester.

A booklet which will be available from : The Secretary, Sutton and West Merton Community Health Council, c/o Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 4NR.

Some of the bookIets provide information only, whereas others include comment on the services i n existence and recommendations for improvement. They usually list the services provided by health, social services and education departments as well as by voluntary agencies. They often include additional sections on holidays, leisure, local and national organi- sations. They give addresses and telephone numbers of key people and places and say how to make contact with the people or services required.

The Gwynedd bookIet is being circulated to all professionals concerned with mental handicap as well as

CIwyd Areu Heultlz Authority

Sutton und We.\t Mertori Health District

to all families with a handicapped member. Few professionals, if any, have up-to-date information on all services for the mentally handicapped a t their fingertips and some would not know where to find the answers to many questions asked by parents. The booklet should therefore help general practitioners, social workers, health visitors and other professionals to assist parents.

Perhaps eventually these information booklets could be jointly published by local health, social services and education departments. They could help local planning teams and policy review bodies to review services.

Within a few years it is IikeIy that every area of the Country will have its own booklet. Do not expect health or local authority services to provide them however. All those produced SO far have only reached publication through the initiative of interested individuals and groups of people who have been prepared to gather the information together, collate it, and check i t for accuracy. Are you in a position to do this for your area ‘? You will provide a valuable service for mentally handicapped people and their families if you can.