A Community Approach to the Home: Homemaker Service

Abstract

Communities seeking ways to serve families which are facing disrupting crises are finding homemaking services a practical approach. Private agencies have had long years of experience in homemaking services and retain the leading position in operating the largest number of programs. As public welfare has moved toward a service program, impressive progress has been made by the public agencies in developing the service. The homemaker program was developed originally to meet a crisis in the home. Particularly was this true when the mother was ill or absent from the home, and an effort was made through homemaking services to keep the children at home. In county public welfare departments and especially in rural areas, homemakers are assuming more of a teaching role and reaching more people through a group approach. The importance of a homemaker program being operated in a social agency is that it can provide the joint services of the home maker and the professional caseworker. It is anticipated that homemaker service will continue to expand as a community service. Federal financial help which is available and the serv ices of the National Council for Homemaker Services will do much to promote the program and provide direction nation wide for its development.