3
Thursday, November 9, 1972
"PLACE OF REFUGE" FOR ABERDEEN REHABILITATION CENTRE
A "place of refuge" will be provided in the Aberdeen Rehabilitation
Centre for the training and care of delinquent children who are mentally
defective and aggressive, and who are considered not suitable for confinement
in a correctional institution.
At present, some of these retarded children who come before the
Courts, and who have an unsuitable home environment, have to be placed in
correctional institutions.
However, because of their low intelligence, they are not able to
fit into the more normal training programme, and their behaviour poses a
serious threat to discipline.
It is considered more appropriate for these children to be placed
in a special "place of refuge" where they will be cared for and trained.
The provision of a "place of refuge" in the Aberdeen Rehabilitation
Centre will involve conversion and fitting-out work to be carried out shortly
in several rooms on the first floor of the Centre's reception block.
Three rooms will be turned into one big meeting place for the children.
It will be equipped with folding partitions in case separate rooms are required.
A six-foot wide covered concrete ramp with railings on both sides will
also be constructed so that wheelchair cases can travel under proper shelter
between dormitories.
Construction and conversion works will start next month and should
take about three months to complete.
/4