[Report 1949] / Birmingham Education Committee, Special Services After Care sub-committee.

  • Birmingham (England). Education Committee. Special Services After Care Sub-committee.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Birmingham Education Committee, Special Services After Care sub-committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    staff are much indebted to them for their help with regard to obtaining suitable employment. An After-Care Visitor attends with the Juvenile Employment representa- tive at each School Leavers’ Conference, so that where possible the parent and visitor make their first contact before the boy or girl leaves school. Appendix B, on page 16, shows how all employed cases are placed. The highest wages known to be earned are those of two men who are each earning £9 per week. One, aged 23 and under Statutory Supervision, is engaged on piece work at a motor works; he puts his earnings into savings every week. The other, whose twin sister is in Monyhull Colony, was excluded at the age of 14 years. He is 28 years of age and is employed at plating. Other notable examples are a man under Statutory Supervision who is earning £8 10s. at casting, and seven men earning £7-£8 each and engaged in factory work, the building trade and painting and decorating. A particularly interesting case is that of “ A ” aged 20 and under Voluntary Supervision. He has been employed in a boot repairing business since leaving school and is now in charge of the branch, the manager having left to take over another. He has three boys working for him and earns £6 10s. per week, plus commission. A highly complimentary letter was received by the After-Care Department from his employer, stating that he would be willing to employ more lads of “ A’s ” calibre and praising the standard of his work and his general reliability. Another successful case employed also at boot-repairing, is that of “ B,” aged 18 and under Statutory Supervision, who has received the highest bonus at his firm for good time-keeping, workmanship and efficiency. Among the women, are two Voluntary cases, each of whom is earning £6 at presswork and welding respectively. Another woman, under Statutory Supervision, also engaged in welding, is earning £5, and the highest wage earned by an excluded woman under statutory Supervision is £3 10s. in Canteen work. The lowest recorded wages are those of a youth, under Voluntary Super- vision, employed at riveting and drilling, and earning 25/- a week; a youth under Voluntary Supervision (Crippled) employed in rug making at the Remploy factory and earning 25/-; a youth under Statutory Supervision employed in rag-collecting and earning 20/-; a girl under Statutory Super- vision employed in soap-making and earning 20/-; a girl under Voluntary Supervision employed in box making and earning 25/-; a girl under Statutory Supervision employed in cleaning and earning 17/6. These cases are all between 16 and 18 years of age. Smaller amounts are earned in the case of many excluded lads, who receive what is virtually pocket-money from friendly tradesmen. These cases are not included in the number of gainfully employed, but are noted in the following section.