Pamphlet produced by the Ministry of Labour and National Service

Ministry of Labour and National Service

English

Oxford Brookes University: RADAR

I~ o""wl!'l' "'"o .. !!l'"'""l b14 ·s ,.., • ,.... - ' e Ooou,.ATION.lL T~-~~ ~ "' TRAINING • AND RESETTLEM.f:NT tS . Of DISABLED ~~~ DISABLED PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT) ACT, 1944 TRAINING AND RESETTLEMENT OF DISABLED PERSONS Note:-The schemes described in this leaflet ar-e for rhe benefit of women as well as of men--except where the comrary is stated. The leaflet should be read in this sense. INTRODUCTION In 1941 the Ministry of Labour and National Service started, as an interim measure, a scheme for the training and resettlement of dis-abled persons. This scheme had two objects :-(a) to help those who had suffered recent disablement, whethel' through war service, in a ir ra ids or from other causes, to take up employment of a kind suited to their disability ; and (b) to help those whose disability was of earlier date to prove their capacity for useful work and to play their part in the war effort. The Interim Scheme was only a war measure but permanent provi-sion for the di sabled has now been made in the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, which was passed on lst March, 1944. Some Sections of the Act, including those for Vocational Training and Industrial Rehabilitation, were brought into operation on 15th August, 1944. The other provisions of the Act, in particular the obligation on employers to employ a quota of disabled persons, will come into force later and an announcement will be made in due course. This leaflet describes the facilities now available for dis· abled persons, both under the Act and in other ways. · DISABLED PERSONS A disabled person under the Act is a person who, on account of injury, disease or congenital deformity, is substantially handicapped in getting or keeping suitable employment or work. The Act applies ( 2) to civilians as well as to Service men· and women ; it covers disable" ments from all causes-whether through Service, industrial or other accident or arising at birth and whether or not they qualify for a disability pension. INTERVIEWS IN HOSPITAL Every Local Office of the Ministry keeps in close touch with all hospitals in its area and with Service Establish-ments from which discharges on medical grounds take place. A representative from the Ministry, known as the Disablement Rehabilitation Officer, attends at the hospital to interview any person who has a dis-ablement and who needs advice and help to find suitable employment. The representative gets a report from the medical authorities as to the nature of the disablement and the kind of employment or training most suitable ; in amputation cases a special report is obtained from the limb fitting surgeon at the centre where the artificial limb is pro-vided. A record of the interview is made, and used by the Local Office to advise the patient as soon as he returns home and is ready to make a start. The interview in hospital generally takes place shortly before the patient's discharge from in-patient treatment, but an interview at an earlier stage can be arranged for those who want advice about their future employment prospects. Wherever a patient feels that he would like to have a talk with the Ministry's representative, the hospital authorities will arrange for him to be specially interviewed, if he asks them to do so. A further interview can take place later when the patient is ready to be discharged from in-patient treatment. At the interview the patient is given a card which he can produce at the Local Office in his home area for any further help he may require. If he wants employment of a professional or executive ( 3) character his particulars will be sent to the Appointments Register and his card will introduce him to the Appointments Office nearest his home, to which he should. send it when he wants further help. If he has high technical or scientific qualifications arrangements will be made for the Central (Technical and Scientific) Register at Alexandra Hcuse, Kingsway, London, W;C.2., to get in touch with hirn. Disab•ed persons who havt: not been interviewed in hospital can apply at any time to the Disablement Rehabilitation Officer at anv Local Office of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. RETURN TO EMPLOYMENT Many disabled will be able, and will want to return to their former occupation but will not know whether such employment is avail-able. Some unable to return to their old occupation will want to know what other employment they can get. Others may need training to assist them to take up a riew occupation. Such matters can be discussed with the patient at the Interviewing Hospital or at a Local Office with the object of helping him to get the kind of employment that is best suited to his disability-not any employment but the most skilled work which he can take and keep on his merits and in compe-tition with his fellows. During the war, and perhaps for some time afterwards, the choice of employment will be restricted, but subject to this, every effort will be made by the Ministry to meet individual wishes. (4) . REINSTATEMENT Persons discharged from the Forces or the corresponding women's Services may have a statutory right to reinstatement in the employ-ment which they left to undertake war service. Such right depeqds, among other things, on the question whether it is reasonable and practicable to re-employ them having regard to all the circumstances. Full information on the provisions of the Reinstatement in Civil Employment Act, 1944, can be obtained from any Local Office. In cases ·where a person having statutory rights is prevented from ex~rcising them because he has been sent to other work by direction or written request issued by the Local Office, the reinstatement rights may be preserved. FOREIGN NATIONALS Foreign Nationals now in Great Britain wco, since the beginning of the present war, have served in the British or Allied Armed Forces or Mercantile Marine, or have undertaken work of national impor-tance in Great Britain, for a period of twelve months are eligible for consideration under the schemes described in this leaflet-pro-vided that they intend to remain in Great Britain or are unable to return to their own countries. INDUSTRIAL REHABILITATION CENTRE A special residential centre has been set up at Egham, Surrey, with the object of assisting the return to work of men who, following a period of hospital or other medical treatment, are not immediately fit to take up employment or full-time vocational training. This Centre is for men only. Its object is to restore confidence and mental and physical fitness through healthy indoor and outdoor occupa· ( s·) tion. The Centre has workshops equipped to test suitability for different occupations. The course, whkh is free, lasts from 6-8 weeks ; men attending the course will be paid the rates of allowances for boarders shown in Appendix II. Further information and a leaflet (P.L. 160/1944) about this course can be obtained at any Local Office, or through the Hospital Authorities. Further industrial rehabilitation courses will be set up as the demand develops. VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR INDUSTRIAL AND OTHER OCCUPATIONS Training is available for all disabled persons aged 16 or over who are in need of it in order to render them competent to undertake employ-ment, or work on their own account, of a kind suited to their age, experience and general qualifications. The courses cover a number of occupations and are designed to assist the disabled person to learn a new occupation through which he can enter employment suited to his capacity and disability. The training is provided free by the Ministry and maintenance allowances are paid during the period of the course. Details of ihe courses and of the allowances are given in Appendices I and II. Applications for training may be made at any Local Office of the Ministry. Note: There is a special scheme of training in engineering and other occupations with different conditions from those described in this leaflet. This is designed primarily for able-bodied persons but it is also open to disabled persons who can qualify. Particulars of this scheme are given in a leaflet, P.L. 115/1943 (Rev.) which can be obtained at any Local Office. { 6) HIGHER TRAINING AND ::OUCATION Training in occupa-tions of a profes-sional, technical or executive character may also be arran-ged and full infor-mation can be ob-tained from any Appojntments Office of the Ministry. There is also a Further Education and Training Scheme for providing financial assistance to enable certain suitably qualified men and women, whose education or careers have been interrupted by war service, to undertake or continue further education or training beyond the secondary school standard. Further information on this subject with a leaflet P.L. 120/1943, can be obtained from any Appointments Office or from the Hospital Authorities. PREFERENCE FOR EX-SERVICE MEN & WOMEN If necessary preference in allocation to courses of training will be given to:-(a) men who have served whole-time in the Armed Forces of the Crown or the Mercantile Marine ; and (b) women who have served whole-time in any of the Services mentioned in Appendix Ill of this leaflet. This preference is not limited to those who have served in the present war but extends to service at any time, whether or not the disability occurred during servjce, (7) SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT There is a special scheme to assist Voluntary Undertakings to provide employment under sheltered conditions for persons whose disable-ment is of so serious a nature as to prevent their employment under ordinary conditions. Where necessary, training is provided by. the Undertakings during which weekly allowances are paid to the individuals at the rates shown in Appendix II. Schemes of this kind will be developed under the Act. ARTIFICIAL LIMBS As a wartime measure the Ministry has arranged, through the co·m-mittee of the Queen \llary's (Roehampton) Hospital and in co-operation with the limb fitting service of the Ministry of Pensions, for artificial limbs to be supplied to persons who have suffered limb amputation and are not entitled to a free issue of artificial limbs as service or air raid casualties. An essential condition of the scheme is that the artificial limb is required to enable the individual to take up useful employment or occupation. The scheme is on a contribu-tory basis and provides for the full cost to be recovered from the individual, his employer or third party, or for a contribution towards the cost to be paid by the individual according to his ability to pay. Any balance of cost is met by the Ministry. · Further information about these schemes for rehabilitation and resettlement can be obtained from any Appointments Office· or Local Office of the MinistJ:y of Labour and National Service. (8) APPENDIX I Training Courses Available Special training arrangements are mad·e to meet the particular needs of individual disabled persons. Special courses of training are already in operation or are about to be set up in the occupations set out below. Additional classes will be established as the need arises:-Bricklaying Carpentry Coach Painting Commercial subjects Cooking (large-scale) Draughtsman (engineering) Fitting (engineering) Gardening Hairdressing Handyman House Painting Inspection (engineering) Instrument Making Leather Goods Making. Needlework Paving and Flag Dressing Plastering Plumbing Pottery Place of Training Training may be provided :-Radio Mechanic Retail Distribution Saddlery and Harness Making Sheet Metal Work Slating and Tiling Spray and Brush Painting Storekeeping Surgical Appliance Making Tailoring Terrazzo and Mosaic Working Telephone Switchboard Operating Turning (engineering) Typewriter Mechanic Watch and Clock Repairing Welding (oxy and electric) Wood Machining (1) at the Ministry's own Training Centres; (2) at Special Residential Centres ; (3) at Technical .Colleges and other similar establishments ; or (JI) at employers' establisnments under approved arrangements. The training will be arranged as near as possible to the indivi-dual •s· home, but those living in areas where there are no facilities, must be prepared to go to another area. Fares to and from the Training Centre will be paid and lodgings will be found by the Ministry. (9) Length of Training The period of training varies according to the occupation in which training is being given, and, in individual cases, according to the nature of the disability. For the majority of cases a period of about 26 weeks' training is required, but this may be shorter or longer according to circumstances. Work on Own Account Where training is given which would enable a person to work on his own account no financial assistance can be granted towards the capital cost of setting up in business. Medical Supervision Provision is made wherever possible for medical supervision so as to ensure that the training is suited to the particular disablement. APPENDIX 11 ALLOWANCES TO DISABLEJ? PERSONS IN TRAINING I. Allowances as follows ·will be paid to individuals attending any of the special courses for disabled persons :-(a) Persons Living at Horne Weekly Rate Age Men and Women and Boys Girls s. d. s. d. 21 and over 45 0 38 0 20 37 0 35 0 19 34 6 32 0 18 27 6 25 0 17 21 0 19 0 16 20 0 18 0 ( 10) Plus (i) I 0/- per week for a wife (or in certain circum-stances other adult dependant) and 4/- per week for each child under 16, and (ii) a mid-day meal or, if no facilities for a meal exist at the Training Establishment, 5/- per week in lieu. (b) Persons living in lodgings or at Residential Centres Age 21 and over 20 19 18 17 16 Weekly Rate Men and Boys S·. d. 24 0 16 0 13 6 10 6 9 0 9 0 Women and Girls s. d. 17 0 14 0 11 0 10 0 8 0 8 0 Plus (i) 10/- per week lor a wife (or in certain circum-stances other adult dependant) and 4/- per week for each child under 16 and (ii) cost of lodgings not exceeding 30/-per week and a midday meal or, if no facilities for a meal exist at the Training Estab-lishment, 5/- per week in lieu or, in the case of trainees at Residential Centres, full board and lodging including a midday meal. 2. In addition to the above allowances the following are also payable:-(\) Daily travelling . expenses where necessary. (2) If training is given away from the home area , a trainee who continues to maintain his former home receives an additional allowance of 23s. per week. Allowances are not subject to Income Tax and are payable without regard to any disability pension or similiar allowance. APPENDIX Ill WOMEN'S SERVICES I. Member of Queen Alexandra 's Royal Naval Nursing Service or any reserve thereof. 2. Member of the Women's Royal Naval Service. 3. Woman medical praqitioner" serving in the Royal Navy or any naval reserve. 4. Member of Queen Alexandra 's Imperial Military Nursing Service or any reserve thereof. 5. Member of the Territorial Army Nursing Service or any reserve thereof. 6. Member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. 7. Woman employed with the Royal Army Medical Corps or the Army Dental Corps with relative rank as an officer. 8. Member of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service or any reserve thereof. 9. Member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. 10. Women employed with the Medical Branch or the Dental Branch of the Royal Air Force with relative rank as an officer. 11. Member of the Voluntary Aid Detachments employed under the Admiralty, Army Council or Air Council. MINISTRY OF LABOUR ANO NATIONAL SERVICE, Sr. JAMES's SQUARE, LoNDON, S.W. I. NOVEMBER, 1944 TRAINING AND RESETTLEMENT OF DISABLED PERSONS 

'Training and Resettlement of Disabled Persons'

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'Training and Resettlement of Disabled Persons'

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