The Western Division of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind offers a varied program of services to their clients, including casework, home teaching, vocational counselling, job training, certain kinds of employment and residential care. The present study undertakes to describe and make a preliminary evaluation of only part of these services, namely casework services, and only one important section of its clientele, namely, adult males whose numbers in the past few years have increased considerably. The study covers the registration of the blind client, the services of the Social Welfare Department, and the role of the social worker in offering casework services and co-ordinating the services of other departments. Casework services have been discussed under three classifications; (1) short-term, (2) long-term, and (3), intensive services, the division being made on the basis of the number and focus of interviews. Intensive services were offered to clients whose initial reaction to blindness was extreme, requiring more than supportive casework to assist them in their adjustment. Discussing the importance of employment in rehabilitation, problems that hinder the blind client vocationally have been identified, also the manner in which social work services aid in their solution. Areas of which the social worker has to be aware are: (a) the feelings of the client about his blindness, (b) the relationship between health and handicaps and adjustment to blindness, (c) family relationships and the acceptance of the client by his family, (d) social isolation, and (e) community attitudes toward blindness. Severe limitations of recording are discussed, and recommendations made for improving this aspect of casework services. A proposed registration inventory is submitted as a means to obtaining essential diagnostic information. While the study is of localized relevance it does point up the need for a more intensive study of casework services for the young blind adult male and for research in the areas of psychological, social, economic, and physical needs of the blind, for the establishment of future rehabilitation programs. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

"Rehabilitation" is the term commonly and often loosely used in public welfare to connote the restoration of the physical functioning of the client. Restoration on a physical and economic level has, to a marked degree in the past, taken precedence over the casework treatment process. Although such restoration is vitally important, its lasting value to the client and his family is doubtful if not accompanied by a thorough effort on the part of the worker to mobilize the client's personal resources. This study examines a public assistance caseload of a small size coastal city with a population of approximately 60,000, as it existed during one particular month of the year, with the view to analyzing the rehabilitation possibilities of the clients. The initial classification distinguishes (a) the temporarily dependent person, that is, one who is receiving public assistance for reasons other than chronic physical or mental illness and likely to become self-supporting, and (b) the permanently dependent person, one who is unlikely to become self-supporting because of age, physical or mental illness, or disability. Within these classifications, sub-groupings of partial and total dependency were evolved. Factors promoting or retarding rehabilitation have then been analyzed in two groups, summarized as "extrinsic" and; "intrinsic". "Extrinsic" factors are physical and economic including; the reason for the granting of assistance, the length of time the grant has been in pay, and the degrees of skill and the work histories of the wage-earners. The "intrinsic" include personal and emotional factors conditioning the acceptance of assistance and the potentialities for improvement or readjustment. Two basic methods are employed: (1) statistical classification of the total sample group (Chapter II) and (2) case description of typical individuals (Chapter III). As a byproduct of the study, a rating scale of emotional maturity has been compiled (Appendix A) as an aid to future case recording, assistance in diagnosing rehabilitation problems, and setting or evaluating casework treatment goals for social assistance clients. It is evident that the rehabilitation plan for persons on public welfare rolls should include an assessment of the emotional factors of the client's personality development. Because these are vital in the individual's total adjustment pattern, it is recommended that such assessments should be made by qualified social workers during the intake process when the client first applies for assistance. While only a cursory review is made of medical and vocational rehabilitation facilities available for handicapped persons, a provincial coordinator of rehabilitation (including public and private resources) seems indicated to provide integrated and long-range planning for rehabilitation. Finally, it must be recognized that a large proportion of persons in receipt of current public aid are suffering from medical disabilities which are irremediable. For these, the goal of total rehabilitation is not realistic; but a proper function of the social worker is to help such clients accept their handicaps and achieve a limited adjustment. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

In order to provide adequate treatment facilities, the B.C. Division of the Canadian Arhtritis and Rheumatism Society made arrangements with the Western Society for Rehabilitation whereby twelve beds were reserved for the non-pay patients of the C.A.R.S. During the period of two years fifty-eight in-patients received treatment there. The relevance of casework for these patients is studied in the present thesis. The in-patients came from all parts of British Columbia and were selected on the basis of low income, favourable prognosis and certain requirements set by the policy of W.S.R. Because of these factors, this study is limited to a carefully selected group, and does not include patients whose illness was far advanced. Case illustrations are used to evaluate the effectiveness of services given. These also point up some of the special problems which this group has encountered. The nature of the illness and the need for a total approach in the rehabilitation process make it clear that the social worker is an indispensable member of the treatment team. This study shows also some of the factors which can hinder or prevent successful rehabilitation. Limitation in the physical setting, lack of funds, and lack of co-ordination of basic resources for treatment, re-education and follow-up, all detract from the potential effectiveness of the services so far available. Certain tentative recommendations are made on these points. Since arthritis is a condition about which medical science has not yet acquired a workable body of knowledge, this project must necessarily be somewhat exploratory. But the study leaves no doubt that the project undertaken by C.A.R.S. has made a significant contribution to the physical and mental well-being of the patients under treatment. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, British Columbia Division has envisaged research as an important and integral part of its objectives and in February 1951 embarked upon an intensive study of the usefulness of cortisone in long-term medical treatment of the rheumatic diseases, including a series on Rheumatoid Arthritis. A comprehensive program of medical treatment has been put into effect, including the services of social workers. It is essentially a team approach to the aim of physical rehabilitation and a return to gainful employment. The present study is directed to the evaluation of the case work treatment offered to those patients selected to participate in the Rheumatic Diseases Project, Rheumatoid Arthritis Series on Cortisone Therapy. Within a predominantly medical setting the function of the case worker has been considered from the viewpoint of what is expected of her by the medical profession and what might be expected from her as a professional social worker. Two methods of assessment were employed both based on evaluation of each case according to selected case work criteria and the premise that effectiveness of treatment depends upon the appropriate use of skills in relation to the degree of treatability of the patient. The first approach made use of the available case records as far as possible. The second was the device of a Rating Scale devised for the purpose and completed by a group of social workers for each patient worked with. The goals aimed at by the Medical Committee responsible for the project were stated as "physical rehabilitation and a return to gainful employment". Medically the cortisone therapy was successful in effecting enough physical improvement for a patient to become potentially employable. Socially results were discouraging because emotional difficulties and the non-availability of suitable positions prevented the actual return of many patients to gainful employment. The Long-standing personality problems, characterizing this group of patients, precluded the use of intensive case work techniques in roughly 75% of the cases. The evidence is that face-to-face interviewing involving the skilled use of relationship is not appropriate and that supportive technigues designed to prevent further deterioration, alone are relevant for the majority. Sound social diagnostic evaluations with the use of appropriate treatment methods are essential. It is suggested the reality of the team approach should he made available, and that more use should be made of social work skills in the selective screening of applicants for rehabilitation, and that the contributions of social work in the total team plan merits deeper exploration. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

In this thesis it is proposed that the rehabilitation of existing buildings for family homes can make a substantial contribution toward reestablishing the central area of the city as an attractive place for a variety of people to live. A literature review summarizes the factors which influence inner city liveability, and those that influence the decision to rehabilitate or demolish a building. It is argued that the city needs a concentrated and varied residential population living in the inner city if the core is to retain its vitality, and that familiar structures provide a sense of place and continuity. Evidence suggests that housing supply shapes the inner city population, both of which have diminished in overall numbers. The exodus of families from the central city has been stimulated and encouraged, while equivalent support has not been available . for those who wish to remain. There is also evidence of a changing attitude, city support for inner city family housing and increasing numbers of families who want to live there. In an outline of requirements for the family environment, ways are suggested that can render the inner city a safe and stimulating place for children to learn the skills of an urban citizen. Three sets of goals are presented: those derived from statements regarding the aspirations for a livable and vital central city; those derived from the socially accepted basic needs; for family housing; and those derived from preferences beyond basic housing needs as expressed by people in Vancouver and Toronto. Rehabilitation is defined as the process that restores something to its former level of usefulness. Building rehabilitation is defined in relation to the physical properties and life cycles of the building components. Second, it is defined as an action that diminishes obsolescence, a process judged by various views of the buildings relative usefulness. A third definition describes the mutually supportive nature of housing rehabilitation and heritage conservation. The second part of the thesis presents a survey of 20 percent of the inner city area of Vancouver. A random sample included 54 small neighbourhood plots where data was taken covering 1556 building lots with 780 pre-1945 and 572 post-1945 buildings. Amongst the older buildings 64 percent were still the original houses, accounting for 37 percent of all buildings in the sample area. By contrast 46 percent of the newer buildings were commercial and only 4 percent were houses. Half the older buildings had been built by 1913, and 80 percent by 1921 when zoning was introduced in Vancouver. Only one third of the buildings' sites were zoned exclusively for residential use. Most of the sample were in fair or better condition, and half were unchanged from their original form. There were good indications that most of the 54 plots were suitable locations for family homes. In the third part of the thesis the sample plots, and 771 of the inventoried buildings, were evaluated to assess their relative suitability for rehabilitation. Three sets of criteria were established related to the three sets of goals from the first part of the study. Appropriate indicator variables were selected from the inventory and scaled according to their influence on the decision to rehabilitate or demolish. A simple additive weighting procedure was used, with separate weights assigned for each criterion set, derived from expert opinion. The results of the evaluation were normally distributed, showing a satisfactory differentiation among the sample. The findings suggested that rehabilitation was most promising in the Mt. Pleasant and Strathcona sample plots. The indication was that rezoning would considerably improve rehabilitation prospects for the older buildings. Gentrification appeared to be likely in the most favorable areas. Also the best chance for an advantageous linkage is where heritage buildings are found in good family neighbourhoods. The findings indicated that different rehabilitation programs would be needed for the various areas of the city. Suggestions are given regarding these programs, as well as recommendations for political, educational, and design activities to support efforts toward the rehabilitation of selected older buildings and heritage neighbourhoods. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

Much concern is currently being expressed about those families who remain chronically dependent upon social agencies. Their problems are usually multiple and their pathology serious. They are believed to make disproportionate contribution to the incidence of juvenile delinquency, to perpetuate social disorders in the community, and they are certainly costly, in terms of time, money, and waste of human lives. Many health and welfare agencies have worked with them, often in a piecemeal and unproductive manner. The present study was initiated to secure and analyse facts about a local group, specifically in relation to family circumstances and to City Social Service operations. Social characteristics of the families, their special needs and problems, are reviewed. Services rendered and other agencies interested are tabulated. Relevant contemporary studies and experiments are drawn on (a) to compare findings, (b) to suggest guides toward rehabilitation of these families and toward prevention and control of family disorganization. Especially referred to are community surveys by Bradley Buell and Associates; the family-centered project conducted recently in St. Paul; an experiment in welfare administration, also of Minnesota; a county health program in London; and a local community (Vancouver) survey. The sample families reveal major problems; financial, health, and social maladjustment. Typically, most of the homes are broken. Of special significance to social workers, is the finding that the majority of the fathers in this group are absent, or intermittently out of the homes, because of social problems. Over eighty per cent of the parents have serious personality, behaviour or relationship difficulties. Despite the severe degree of social pathology, services rendered are mostly in relation to economic and health needs. Although numerous agencies are interested in the families, they have made negligible gains toward rehabilitation, and the future of their children must be deemed endangered. Exceptionally, a few families reveal some potentials for self-maintenance which need to be fostered. From the available information, the indications are (a) that new approaches in community planning and action are required,(b) that the City Social Service is in a favourable position to provide basic services, including intensive social case work and basic information about multi-problem families, which could stimulate public opinion and forward the development of constructive community programs. The majority of the community's "multi-problem families" could be identified through the City Agency. It is submitted that a demonstration project, under its administration, would be of momentous importance to its clientèle, and of impressive value to the community, toward the prevention and control of the "impacted" social ills which flourish in this multi-problem group. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The aim of this study is to discuss the existing facilities for the treatment and care of crippled children in British Columbia with a view to determining those aspects in which adequate coverage is given and those in which lacks exist. To consider that the crippled child will receive all the necessary benefits from maximum physical treatment, is to ignore all the other parts of his personality. Social work philosophy recognizes that care and treatment of anything less than the child's whole personality is to deprive him of his right to become a valuable and contributing person to his home, family and community. The method used has been to trace in a descriptive manner, with some analysis of the present program, the development of the chief facilities existing for this purpose up to the present time. The study attempts to illustrate the resources available today and the philosophy which forms an integral part of the program in the various institutions. It is noted that there is a growing acceptance generally of the contribution which social work theory and philosophy can make in assisting the child-patient to adjust to treatment and living away from home. The study uses a recognized authority in the field of planning for handicapped children, as a frame of reference. The criteria outlined by this authority show more clearly the positive and negative aspects of the present program and the effects of the latter on the crippled child. General suggestions are made to assist in developing, through the co-operation of all the professions concerned, a program under which every crippled child in British Columbia may be assured of his right to a useful and happy life. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This thesis involves a dual consideration of the applicability of prediction and follow-up studies to the New Haven Open Borstal program and the adequacy of officially recorded data for the execution of such studies. Follow-up studies would indicate the rate of successful rehabilitation obtained from the New Haven program. The development of prediction tables would facilitate the granting of parole on a more rational basis and would also provide a working prognosis for supervision on parole. An historical, survey of selected American and European prediction and follow-up studies was conducted to indicate their methodology, their increasing utility, and their applicability to the Borstal program in British Columbia, The information available within the files of New Haven and other related agencies was evaluated in order to determine its adequacy for prediction and follow-up studies. Data relating to criminality, vocational and economic status, family relationships, leisure time pursuits, and mental and physical health were considered in relation to the pre-institutional, institutional, parole and post-parole periods. The findings indicated that, while prediction and follow-up studies axe desirable within the New Haven setting, the available data may only be adequate for a specific and limited type of prediction study. The available data would have to be supplemented by information obtained directly from the ex-inmate if more comprehensive studies are to be conducted. A research unit that is an integral part of the correctional system and possesses an intimate knowledge of the total program could best execute these and other prospective studies. Through the initiation of prediction and follow-up studies, New Haven can best maintain its position in the vanguard of penal progress in British Columbia. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The subject-matter of this study is a descriptive account of the prison forestry camp programme which was operative in the Kettle River district in British Columbia during the years 1951 to 1953. Perspective is given by examination of the origin and progress of the use of prison labour in general, and of prison labour projects in contemporary forestry camps. The British Columbia project is evaluated with particular emphasis on the programme as part of a rehabilitation process. The methods used in arriving at the conclusions found in the study have been those of comparison and analysis, by reference to (a) administration; (b) selection of inmates; (c) types of inmate, and (d) components of the programme. The positive and negative aspects of the programme have been evaluated as far as possible. The benefits which may be derived by inmates assigned to these camps include (a) improvement in physical and mental health from outdoor work and living, (b) experience in the camps which more closely resembles that of normal society. These help terminate a prisoner's sentence with a more acceptable re-introduction to community life. On the other hand, it is evident that there are many problems which can impede the operation of a programme of this nature, including a divided administration, untrained personnel and inadequate facilities and finances. The study suggests that these difficulties are not insurmountable, and recommendations are made which would further the success and value of such programmes. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature and content of the social policy of "normalization" in community based services which have been used to meet the needs of deinstitutionalized mentally retarded adults. In the process it was hoped that data would be obtained to aid decision makers in planning community services for retarded adults. The study was directed to examine the relationship between the levels of normalization in services which had been provided for retarded adults who were discharged from the Provincial institution for mental retardation - Woodlands - under the medical administration of retardation services as well as after the assumption of same responsibility by the Ministry of Human Resources. These administrations represented the medical and the social systems of service delivery. "Normalization" had been adopted as "policy" soon after the transfer of responsibilities by the Ministries. Three areas of concern were examined: Levels of normalization of services; needs of subjects; and normalization as policy. These areas had been central to public discussion of retardation issues in British Columbia. In order to examine the three areas, normalization was defined in the Greater Vancouver Area of study using the explicit judgement of citizens and the implicit judgement of professionals. From their judgements, a criteria for measuring normalization was developed and used in scoring individual services according to the special features of those services. A total of seven service areas were scored: Residential, Social, Medical, Recreational, Educational, Psychological and Vocational. The needs of subjects were identified from institutional records and scored. Five service characteristics were further examined for normalization. These were the nature, type, name, location and degree of integration. An integrated framework for policy analysis as well as empirical results were then used to analyse findings. The study showed that community services were essentially deviant in orientation; that level of normalization were about the same for each five year period of study; that services were inadequate in meeting needs; that there was lack of coordination in delivery of services] and that "normalization" was a principle rather than a policy of the Provincial Government. Implications for policy development as well as areas for further research have been suggested. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate