gap in the welfare field are fading into memory: during 1965-66, heavy emphasis was placed by the Department and the Council on the need for consultation before action, and co-ordination in place of competition. Broadly speaking, the Department assumes responsibility for those func- tions which are required by statute, and for public assistance, registra- tion of the disabled, and a variety of casework, group and community services which are described in later chapters; while the voluntary agencies assume responsibility over a range of services as wide in scope as would be attempted in any other developed country-financial and supplementary relief assistance, vocational training, rehabilitation, day care, institutional services for young and old, aftercare of prisoners and drug addicts, social research and a host of essential services which supplement and complement the official services.
STRUCTURE
7 The Department is divided into functional sections each of which is headed by a Principal Social Welfare Officer, a professional officer with long experience and often specialized training in his or her partic- ular field. Each section head is responsible on professional matters to an Assistant Director who is a qualified and experienced social worker, and on administrative matters to an Assistant Director who is a senior member of the administrative service. A detailed account is given in the relevant chapters of this report of the functions of each of the seven Sections; these are-
the Child Welfare Section
(including adoption and liaison with day care and residential
institutions for children);
the Probation Section
(including correctional institutions);
the Relief Section
(public assistance and emergency relief);
the Special Welfare Services Section
(services for the physically, and mentally handicapped, and
for the aged);
the Women and Girls Section
(personal counselling, group activity and liaison with institu-
tions serving women and girls);
5