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A weekly return of all births notified is sent to the London
County Council in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 5,
sub-sec. 2 of the Notification of Births Act.
Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme.
The Borough Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme was revised
early in 1919, on the coming into force of the Maternity and Child
Welfare Act, 1918. This Act gave greatly increased powers to
local authorities for the development of measures having for their
object the welfare of women and of children under five years of age.
These powers were at once welcomed by the Council, and a very
extensive scheme of health services was inaugurated, which has
continued year by year to develop in extent and scope to meet
the needs of the population of the Borough. The scheme includes
both municipal and voluntary effort and the activities of both are
fully co-ordinated.
Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
For administrative purposes the Borough is divided into seven
areas. In each of these areas a Maternity and Child Welfare Centre
—municipal or voluntary—has been established. The Centres are
situated as follows :—
1. Municipal.
(a) Latchmere Baths (Burns Road entrance).
(b) All Saints' Parish Hall (Prince of Wales Road).
(c) Plough Road Institution.
(d) Chatham Hall (Chatham Road).
(e)Dental Centre and Clinic (Plough Road).
2. Voluntary.
(a) Battersea School for Mothers (55 Mundella Road).
(b)Women's League of Service (111 Bridge Road West).
(c) Chislehurst Mission (St. James' Parish Hall, Ponton
Road, Nine Elms).
In addition to the above ancillary services included in the
Scheme are: (1) St. Mary's Hostel, Macaulay Road, Clapham
Common, and (2) St. Margaret's Day Nursery and Hostel, institutions
under voluntary control, but linked-up with the Borough
Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme and in receipt of an annual
grant from the Council.
Each Centre is under the superintendence of an official Health
Visitor, assisted by voluntary helpers and by students from recognised
training bodies, e.g., Battersea Polytechnic, College of
Nursing and International Red Cross. At each Centre there
is a Clinic with a woman medical officer in attendance. The
Voluntary Centres are managed on similar lines to those of the
Municipal Centres; in fact, at two of the Voluntary Centres the
Child Welfare work is under the superintendence of an official
Health Visitor of the Council.