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" Claims for the grant should be supported by the assurance that
" the Medical Officer of Health is satisfied with the work of the nurseries.
" The cost of the food is to be defrayed from the payments of the mothers
" for the care of the children.
" The day nurseries, the Board says, ought not to provide for
" children whose mothers might reasonably be expected themselves to
" bestow on their children the necessary care and attention. The grants
" from the Board may be paid at the rate of not more than J,d. for each
" attendance, and the full grant shall not exceed one-half of the approved
"expenditure."
You postponed consideration of the Board's circular for 12 months, on
February 2nd, 1915. The Sanitary Committee has also postponed the matter
of Maternity and Infant Welfare Centres until April, 1917.
Six or seven weeks ago I was filling up the schedule of work at the
Edmonton School for Mothers and Infant Welfare (established in June, 1915),
and it was with much regret that I had to state that this work, so very
important in these times, when so many lives are being lost in warfare,
had received no help whatever from this Education Committee. In April,
1916, the Council gave £33 6s. 8d. to the School, but £50 would have been
more useful.
I would suggest that three of your number be selected to-night to meet
three members of the Sanitary Committee to discuss how the Local Authority,
both on its public health and educational sides, can best assist in this lifesaving.
Your Secretary and the Medical Officer of Health would attend this
Special Committee, which should (on finishing its deliberations) present a
report, with their recommendations, both to the Council and this Education
Committee.
As regards creches or day nurseries, the need for them at the present
moment is very great. Whilst the cruel necessities of war are creating both
day and night work, a nursery that will be always open, both day and night,
will meet a great want of the mothers who have families of young children
needing attention and supervision when both parents are at work away from
home. Such cases I am meeting with not infrequently, where the home conditions
and woeful state of the youngsters is sad to see, and must be produvui/3
of excessive sickness and a heavy death-rate in the immediate future.
This Special Committee, I presume, would be open to receive and consider
any suggestions or schemes that purport to deal with the subject of mother and
child welfare. I have one in my mind now.