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payment to repay the foster-mother for the expense and trouble. A system
whereby the Council augmented the mothers' payments, provided that the
foster-mother were approved by them and kept under regular supervision by
a competent visitor, would probably meet a number of cases where it was
not possible or desirable for the mother to live with the child. In some
instances the mother might also lodge with the foster-mother. Inquires would
need to be made for suitable women to act as foster-mothers. I leave for
future consideration the question of the weekly sum which the foster-mother
ought to receive.
(3.) Day-Nurseries.—In regard to the question of day nurseries, there are
already four such institutions in the borough, which have together places for
145 children. At one of these, the Margaret Day Nusery, 44, Ampthill
Square, opened in May last, where there is accommodation for 20 children,
the major part is definitely kept for the children of the unmarried: at two
others, the Whitefield Day Nursery, 53, Whitfield Street (40) places), and the
Kentish Town Day Nursery, Gospel Oak Grove (45 places), illegitimate children
are received equally with legitimate: while at the fourth, the Edith
Rendel Day Nursery, 26. Cartwright Gardens (40 places) preference is
given to widowed and deserted mothers over the unmarried though illegitimate
children are not excluded if there are places for them. It is probable that if
the responsibility for fatherless children is accepted by the Council additional
day nursery accommodation will be found necessary; but in regard to this it
will be best to wait upon experience. In the meantime the most satisfactory
method will probably be to follow the successful precedent of the infant
welfare centres and subsidize the existing day nurseries from municipal funds,
on condition that they comply with the Coun' il's conditions and undertake to
receive as far as possible children referred to them by the Council. They
receive at present a 50 per cent. grant from the Ministry of Health upon the
deficit on the approved expenditure after the deduction of the payments made
by the mothers. The four voluntary day nurseries fulfil a greatly felt want
in the borough, and should on general grounds be assisted. It will be more
satisfactory to give them a proportional subsidy on their whole work (in so far
as it is for St. Pancras children)—as the Council are empowered to do—than
to make payment for certain cases referred to them and not for others. I
would recommend the payment by the Council of grants equal to one half of
those paid by the Ministry. The total approved expenditure would then be
met as to one half by the Government, and as to one quarter each by the
Council and the voluntary funds of the institutions. This help would assist
the day nurseries to improve and extend their work. The system would have
the advantage that the Council's grant would in effect be conditional on the
approval by the Ministry of Health of the work of the day nurseries.
Last year the Ministry's grants to the four institutions amounted to about
£1,265, and the cost to the Council of subsidisation on the basis suggested can
therefore be estimated at about £633 a year. To bring this about it would be
necessary for twice this amount (i.e , one half of the total net expense) to be paid
by the Council. One half of this would be repayable to the Council by the
Ministry, whose direct grant to the day nurseries would then be one half
of the remainder of their net expenditure.
It should be mentioned that it is proposed to build a day nursery in connection
with the Council's proposed flats at Prince of Wales Road.