London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lambeth 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth Borough]
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Child Life Protection.
In accordance with the Transfer of Powers (London) Order, 1933, the administration of the provisions of the Children and Young Persons Acts, 1908 to 1933, now consolidated in the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, was transferred to the Borough Council, and the summary of this work for the year ended the 31st December, 1938, now follows :— No. of Foster Mothers on Register 140 No. of Nurse Children on Register 220 No. of Visits and Re-Visits paid to Nurse Children 1,211
| Year of Birth | No. of Nurse Children | No. of Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 32 | 107 |
| 1937 | 36 | 184 |
| 1936 | 36 | 200 |
| 1935 | 24 | 159 |
| 1934 | 15 | 79 |
| 1933 | 17 | 116 |
| 1932 | 25 | 161 |
| 1931 | 9 | 56 |
| 1930 | 12 | 86 |
| 1929 | 14 | 63 |
| Totals | 220 | 1,211 |
No. of Visits, including verifications and registering of homes 2,209
No. of Foster Mothers removed from Borough 7
No. of Nurse Children legally adopted by Foster Parents 4
No. of Nurse Children taken by National Children's Aid and
Adoption Society with a view to adoption —
No. of Nurse Children who attained the age of 9 years 14
No. of Deaths —
No. of Legal Proceedings taken 2
No. of emergency orders obtained 1
A prime condition for registration of a foster mother is that she
shall attend regularly at her local Welfare Centre with the foster
child. The attendance is now 100 per cent., which may be
contrasted with the attendance of less than 25 per cent, before the
Transfer of Powers Order was made.