A Place Like Home: A Hostel for Disturbed Adolescents

The author, David Wills, was the first Englishman to train as a psychiatric social worker and was well known for his books on delinquent, misfit, and maladjusted children. The book describes an experiment with a hostel for boys leaving schools for maladjusted children and lacking any settled home from which to enter the community. It demonstrates Willss conviction that the offender wants to be 'good and will be helped by affection rather than punishment. The book highlights the extent of deprivation suffered by such young people and that no ordinary hostels or lodgings will do if they are to be set upon a less turbulent course of life, leading to truly adult independence. It added greatly to our understanding of the personalities, experience of life, and needs of maladjusted boys in their 'teens at the time, although the lessons drawn from it were disturbing in relation to prevention and treatment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 134 pages
Publication date: 05 November 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The late David Wills dedicated his life to serving individuals often considered delinquent, misfits, or maladjusted. He held a unique distinction as the first Englishman to train as a psychiatric social worker, and his works, such as "The Hawkspur Experiment" and "The Barns Experiment," gained widespread recognition.

Published in 1970, "The Hawkspur Experiment" offers a captivating account of an experiment conducted with a hostel for boys transitioning from schools for maladjusted children and lacking a stable home environment. Through this book, David Wills firmly establishes his belief that offenders genuinely desire goodness and can be aided through affection rather than punishment. However, it becomes evident that the work involved significant stress, requiring individuals possessing qualities akin to archangels to effectively meet the boys' needs and maintain control of the situation.

This book serves as a poignant testament to the extent of deprivation experienced by these young individuals. It highlights the inadequacy of ordinary hostels or lodgings in providing them with the necessary support to embark on a less turbulent path toward achieving true adult independence. It significantly contributed to our understanding of the personalities, life experiences, and specific needs of maladjusted boys during their teenage years. While the insights drawn from this book may be unsettling in terms of prevention and treatment, David Wills' assessment remains unwavering, and his book holds immense value for those engaged in various capacities to assist boys and girls who otherwise risk developing emotional and social handicaps into adulthood.

This book is being reissued in its original form, reflecting the language and cultural context of its era. The Publishers kindly request that readers understand that no offense is intended by this re-publication.

Weight: 260g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032067346