Catalogue description Ministry of Health: Social Welfare Services, Registered Files (99063 Series)

Representations were made in 1952 by the Joint University Council for Social Studies and Public Administration as to the need to improve the level of recruitment and training of social service personnel to meet the needs of an expanding social welfare system.

In June 1955 the Minister of Health announced the setting up of a working party, "to enquire into the proper field of work, and the recruitment and training of social workers at all levels in the local authorities' health and welfare services under the National Health Service and National Assistance Acts, and in particular whether there is a place for a general purpose social worker with an in-service training as a basic grade".

The Chairman was Dr Eileen Younghusband, CBE LLD JP. The members of the working party were representatives of medical officers of health, general practitioners, various local authorities, a university social science department and the National Association of Mental Health. It was assisted by a steering committee representing the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and National Service, the Department of Health for Scotland and the Home Office. Also represented were the County Councils Association, the London County Council, the Association of Municipal Corporations, and various other local authorities.

The working party first met in July 1955 and its report was published in May 1959.