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62
Owing to the increasing demand for this service
and the long waiting lists created thereby, it has been
necessary during the year to find further accommodation,
and arrangements have accordingly been made
with the Association of Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres for the reservation of 3 cots throughout the
year to be used interchangeably at the John Madock's
Babies Home, Basing, and the Noel Home, Letchworth.
This arrangement came into operation on the 1st
October.
Notwithstanding this extra accommodation, owing
to the outbreak of infection at the St. Leonard's Home,
there was some delay in getting children away. It is
to be hoped that the proposed Zachary Merton Trust
Home may be established in the early future to relieve
the undoubted need for further convalescent home
accommodation.
Dr. Horton reports :
An increased number of children were recommended for
Convalescent Homes this year and more were admitted than
last year. Records show that the number of lapsed cases has
increased and on analysis of these cases in three-quarters of
them the parents either did not proceed with their applications
or declined an offered vacancy. This is unfortunate and
indicates the need for continued teaching as to the great
value of a seaside or country holiday for children recovering
from an illness. The many children who have returned fit
and happy after their convalescence and the satisfaction
expressed by their parents on their return home encourage
us for the future.
The number of mothers sent to Convalescent Homes is
less than last year, the difficulty of leaving husbands and
families for any longer than the bare minimum time for
recovery from confinement being too great for many to solve.
This is a definite handicap to them and to this branch of the
work and it is difficult to see how to deal with it. As with
the children, we hope that the excellent accounts given by
those mothers who do go away of the Homes they go to and
their own marked improvement physically and mentally will
slowly persuade others to avail themselves of this valuable
service.