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1916] 18
Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres.—The work performed by these
very necessary institutions in the borough has now been recognised by the
Council, who have made a grant of £200 each to the North, South and West
Islington Infant Welfare Centres.
The reports received from the three Centres in the borough are
appended:—
NORTH ISLINGTON MATERNITY CENTRE AND SCHOOL FOR
MOTHERS.
8 and 9, Manor Gardens, N.
The North Islington Maternity Centre has during the year published its
second annual report, which covers a period of 18 months ending at 31st
March, 1916, and contains a wonderful record of good work done in the promotion
of public health. The effects of its work are already prominently
shown in the improved statistics of infant mortality in North Islington, and
the work is advancing by leaps and bounds.
The Health Department have assisted and encouraged the work of the
Centre in every way in their power, and the Council have quite recently voted
a grant of £200 in aid of this voluntary enterprise and in recognition of the
good work it is doing.
The scope of the work includes ante-natal consultations and infant consultations
held on five days in the week at which expectant and nursing
mothers get advice, given by Doctors, Nurses and voluntary helpers, which
cannot fail to assist in the babies being reared as healthy members of the
community.
Home visiting, health talks, lessons in the preparation of simple, wholesome
foods and in the making of suitable clothes for the babies and endless
other branches of work calculated to bind the mothers to the Centre and
promote good feeling between them, the staff and the large body of voluntary
helpers who are devoting much self-sacrificing time and effort for their
advantage, are carried out. A few statistics taken from the Report for the
year ending 31st March, 1916, will give some small idea of the extent and value
of the work.
The staff consists of 3 doctors, one superintendent, 4 nurses and a
secretary. A fifth nurse has been engaged lately for half-time, and an extra
house taken, as the rooms available were inadequate for the increased number
of attendances.
One ante-natal consultation is held every week, and a careful record is
kept which is attached to the child's case-paper when it comes to the Centre.
The attendances for the year up to March 31st, 1916, were 303, and those up
to December 31st, 1916, were 453.