Loneliness

and clubs are in short supply for special school-leavers to provide stability and order during the difficult years of adolescence and to prevent much wastage of young lives?and of potential workers. Besides the valuable contribution made by the National Association for Mental Health in establishing two such hostels, local authorities are tackling this problem; and the provision of purpose-built workshops has brought useful employment with pay within the reach of many hitherto considered nothing but a liability on the state. But progress is slow in many areas and the need is generally great. I am sure that your Association and most local authorities would agree there is room for voluntary initiative in this field, and in certain circumstances some financial assistance would be available from the authority concerned. Is it too much to hope that the Church groups should concern themselves with provision of clubs and even hostels,