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FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1974
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MARYCOVE CENTRE'S NEW VING OPENED
IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR GIRLS WITH A PROBLEM
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THE NEW RESIDENTIAL WING OF THE MARYCOVE CENTRE FOR GIRLS AT ABERDEEN WHICH PROVIDES SPECIAL CARE FOR TEENAGE GIRLS WITH PERSONAL AND OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY.
THE NEW WING, WHICH IS PART OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIVE-YEAR PLAN, PROVIDES 100 RESIDENTIAL PLACES AND WAS BUILT AT A COST OF $1 MILLION DONATED BY THE LOTTERIES FUND.
THE CENTRE IS RUN BY THE GOOD SHEPHERD SISTERS AND TAKES IN GIRLS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO OR ACTUALLY IN MORAL DANGER AND OTHERS BEYOND CONTROL OF THEIR PARENTS OR WHO ARE ILL-TREATED BY THEM.
MR. TOPLEY PAID WARM TRIBUTE TO THE SISTERS AND NOTED THAT THE TRADITIONAL IDEA OF INSTITUTIONALISATION OF CHILDREN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF FOUR WALLS HAD GIVEN WAY TO THE MORE FORWARD- LOOKING SMALL GROUP SYSTEM ADOPTED IN THE CENTRE.
+THE IDEA OF THE SMALL GROUP SYSTEM IS FOR A GROUP COUNSELLOR AND A GROUP ASSISTANT TO LIVE WITH A SMALL NUMBER OF GIRLS SO THAT A HOME ATHOSPHERE AND BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CHILDREN AND ADULTS CAN BE DEVELOPED,+ HE EXPLAINED.
REGULAR CASE CONFERENCES BETWEEN STAFF OF THE CENTRE AND OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HELP IN THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF A TREATMENT PROGRAMME FOR GIRLS IN CARE THUS MAKING FOR A BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE SERVICE.
+THIS TEAM APPROACH IN THE SOCIAL REHABILITATION OF GIRLS IN CARE IS MOST IMPORTANT,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID. +IN THIS WAY, PLACING A GIRL IN AN INSTITUTION BECOMES A MEANS IN THE OVERALL TREATMENT FOR THE GIRL AND NOT AN END IN ITSELF.+
JUST PLACING A GIRL IN AN INSTITUTION WITHOUT ANY DEFINITE PROGRAMME CANNOT BE ANYTHING BUT DAMAGING TO THE GIRL CONCERNED, HE POINTED OUT. HOWEVER, THE KIND OF SERVICE OFFERED BY THE CENTRE DAS PLANNED TO BE BOTH PREVENTIVE OF FURTHER WORSENING THE GIRLS' CIRCUMSTANCES AND REMEDIAL IN RESPECT OF DAMAGE READY DONE.
+WITH THE FORMULATION OF A TREATMENT PLAN AND REGULAR REVIEWS AND REVISION OF THE PLAN BY THOSE INVOLVED IN HELPING THE GIRL, IT IS HOPED THAT A MORE HELPFUL AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH CAN BE WORKED OUT,+ HE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT, APART FROM INCREASING THE CENTRE'S CAPACITY, THE IMPROVED ACCOMMODATION-WOULD PROVIDE MORE PLACES FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER, VOCATIONAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION- ÁL TRAINING, MORE VARIED RECREATIONAL ACTIVITES AND A MORE MEANINGFUL GROUP LIFE AND EXPERIENCE FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN NEED.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF MR. TOPLEY'S SPEECH ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE G.I.S. PRESSROOM ATH FLOOR. BEACONSPIAD POUSE.