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It is, however, exceedingly difficult to get the people out
of the habit of evincing an interest in such questions at any
other time than when laid aside with sickness, and consequently
progress in the reduction of the incidence rates of
disease is slow.
The infant welfare work in Camberwell is divided
between 6 Voluntary and 3 Municipal Centres, and each is
doing remarkably good work.
The question of the staff, situation of the premises, and
areas will sooner or later have to be considered.
I have long held the view that in some cases the existing
premises are far from ideal for the purpose for which they
are used, and a re-distribution of areas would enable all the
children needing health visiting to be kept under constant
supervision until they reach school age.
The table which appears on page 40 records the work
of the Municipal and subsidised Infant Welfare Centres, and
it is gratifying to note that the attendances and visits show
an improvement in the figures for the previous year.
The increase in the attendances at the ante-natal clinics
is deserving of special mention, and encourages the hope that
as time goes on the educational work of the Centres will
reach many to whom pre-natal advice would he of inestimable
benefit.
Infant Welfare Centres Conference.
With a view of co-ordinating, correlating, and consolidation
the Maternity and Child Welfare Services in the
Borough, the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
appointed a Special Sub-Committee to consider and report
on the whole of the services.
The first meeting of the Committee was held in
September, and it was decided that, in order to assist them
in their consideration of the matter, a Conference be convened
of representatives from each of the Voluntary Infant Welfare
Centres in the Borough, the Ministry of Health, the Borough
Council, and the Medical Officers at the Municipal Centres.
The Conference in question, which was well attended, was
held at the Town Hall on October 25th, and the following
Resolution was adopted:—
"That a Joint Advisory Committee be appointed
consisting of four members of the Maternity and Child
Welfare Committee of the Council and the various
Chairmen of the Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres in
receipt of grants from the Council, such Committee to
meet once a quarter and to report to the Maternity and
Child Welfare Committee."