Research
| Date | 01 December 1989 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058903600408 |
| Published date | 01 December 1989 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
residents and professionals had an ’air
RESEARCH of resigned hopelessness’.
Among the issues which grew as
priorities were domestic violence and
family conflict resolution (including a
counselling service for abusing part-
ners) ; the need for women clients to
have space to themselves away from
domestic responsibilities and isolation
(unfortunately both workers were
male); high fuel costs and the difficulty
for tenants in having their transfer re-
quests taken seriously, the lack of a
local GP surgery (the two officers were
constantly being approached for
medical advice and became immersed
in a
Community Practice:
campaign to persuade a local doc-
tors’ practice to reopen a surgery. This
Wren’s or Cuckoo’s Nest?
was unsuccessful but led to strained
relations between the project and the
The idea of two probation officers set-
local medical services) Among suc-
ting up a small neighbourhood office
cesses was their galvanizing role in
in a flat on a decaying and insular
establishing regular meetings of a group
council estate, traditionally the sump
of professionals working on Wrens
for large or ’undeserving’ families and
Nest, to promote mutual appreciation
carrying all the expected raft of social
and a collaborative strategy.
problems, does not seem an obvious
This is a tale of dogged deter-
direction for the Service in the late
mination and persistence, coping with
’80s Much more of a romantic, early
the demands of a statutory caseload as
’70s feel to it. Nevertheless, in 1986 the
well as becoming known and accessi-
Dudley team agreed to allow two
ble to a new audience of people in
members to become semi-detached and
need or trouble, whilst surviving the
go local in the Wrens Nest community.
disheartening crises of burglary, damp
David Stephen’ evaluation of their
and dismay in the ’Fort Apache’ (a
work for West Midlands Probation Ser-
police nickname) flat. The gains were
vice describes the initial phase of the
modest and there was no breakthrough
project, arguing that a community-
to a new...
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