Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1965-1966 — Page 13

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);

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