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50
man or woman. It provides convalescent home treatment and surgical
appliances and undertakes a considerable amount of home visiting for
hospitals, &c. The I.C.A.A. works in close co-operation with statutory
bodies and other voluntary organisations.
During 1937, 357 children (in addition to many re-applications) were
referred to the Battersea Branch ; of this number 52 came to them from
Borough sources and 57 from the School Medical Officers and Care
Committees.
In 1937, 165 children were sent for convalescence to the seaside
and country for an average stay of 8 weeks, at a cost of £778, and 25
surgical instruments were provided, which cost £18 17s.
105 new children under the age of 5 years were referred to us from the
Infant Welfare Centres, Hospitals, &c. for convalescence and other help.
51 of these were materially helped at a cost of £250. The Battersea
Branch receives a grant of £50 from the Borough Council towards this
part of their work.
Last year 40 children were referred from the Tuberculosis Dispensary,
22 for convalescence and 18 to be boarded out under the Contact Scheme.
In these cases the I.C.A.A. make the arrangements and the London
County Council bear the cost of maintenance.
The Mayor of Battersea in July asked us to send a girl away for
convalescence as she was found not to be well enough to go with his party
for a week's holiday. She went to Ascot for three weeks, and the cost
was borne by the Mayor's Holiday Fund.
The Branch is fortunate in being allowed to use the grounds at
Southlands each summer for their Fete. Last year it made a profit of
£26 1s. Od.
The I.C.A.A. is always very glad to co-operate with the Borough
Council in the care of the invalid and cripple children of the Borough,
and they would like to record their most grateful thanks for all the help
that they have received from the Council.
Toddlers' Clinic.
In the Annual Report for 1936 an account of the establishment
of the special Toddlers' Clinic at Southlands is given on page 50.
The clinic, the first session of which was held on 3rd November,
1936, continued to meet weekly throughout the year, at the Southlands
centre.
In November I submitted to the Health Committee (in
accordance with their previous instructions) a report as to the
work done by the clinic during the first nine months of its existence.
The chief items of interest in the report, which is set out in full
on pages 122 to 125 are (a) that for the reasons set out only children
at the age of 3 had been dealt with, (b) that 32 per cent, of the
children invited attended the clinic, (c) that 42 per cent, of those
who attended were recommended for treatment for various conditions
found on examination, (d) and that 30 per cent, of the
toddlers had never previously attended a child welfare centre.
The Committee accepted the conclusions set out in the report
and the Council, on their recommendation, adopted them, and
arrangements were accordingly put in train to hold a weekly
toddlers' clinic at each of the Council's six welfare centres, commencing
with the new financial year.