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43
INFANT LIFE PROTECTION VISITOR.
At the end of the year there were 80 foster-mothers with 99 children on the register. The
Infant Life Protection Visitor paid 1,771 visits to foster-mothers, and made 2,036 inspections of
children at such visits. Two hundred and four special visits were made, and the Visitor also made
104 visits to cases of measles. She attends certain clinic sessions.
There is still an insufficient number of foster-mothers in the Borough. There are more applications
for such services than can be met.
The duties of the Infant Life Protection Visitor are closely associated with those of the Health
Visitors, and foster-mothers are urged to bring their charges to the Infant Welfare Centres that they
may be under regular medical supervision.
Unlike the Health Visitor, the Infant Life Protection Visitor possesses the " right of entry "
and may visit in the night as well as during the day, where necessary.
Close co-operation is maintained between the Infant Life Protection Visitor, the National
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the School Authorities, as her duties relate to
children between birth and the age of nine years : also with many charitable organisations existing for
the welfare of mothers and children.
MATERNITY HOME.
The Council's new Maternity Home facing Parson's Green, has had a busy and successful year.
Mention has already been made of the addition to the medical staff.
The ante-natal beds in the Home have proved a valuable adjunct to the work of the antenatal
clinics.
All patients entering the Maternity Home are required to attend an ante-natal clinic; and
as the pupil midwives attend certain clinic sessions, the mothers have the opportunity of getting
to know those who will be in nursing attendance on them during their confinement.
The Maternity Home is recognised as a training school by the Central Midwives Board, and
trained nurses are prepared for the certificate of that Board.

Fuller details in the form of a statistical summary of the year's work, prepared by Dr. Swain,
Senior Resident Medical Officer, are given in Appendix I at the end of this Report.