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107
for the care of their children. Similar arrangements can be made
to enable segregation to be achieved during immunisation with
B.C.G.
Unsupported Mothers
Unsupported mothers were put in touch with Moral Welfare
Workers who, in most cases, arranged for admission to a Mother
and Baby Home prior to hospital confinement. After the birth of
their babies, some of the mothers returned to the Mother and Baby
Homes while others went back to their families or into lodgings.
Some of the mothers approached the Children's Department, either
before or after confinement, asking that their babies should be
considered for adoption. Where the mother decided to bring up
her own child, every assistance was given by the health visitors and,
whenever possible, priority admission of the child to a day nursery
was arranged when the mother returned to work.
During 1965, 161 unmarried mothers contacted the undermentioned
Moral Welfare Organisations in Greenwich: —
Southwark Catholic Children's Society 18
Southwark Diocesan Association 143
Rehabilitation of Mothers
On occasions mothers become anxious about breast feeding
difficulties or are confronted with infant dietetic troubles. In
suitable cases arrangements can be made for mothers of young
children to be sent (with or without their children) to a recuperative
centre for a residential course in mothercraft. For these purposes
the Council makes use of the Violet Melchett Mothercraft Unit and
the normal period of training ranges from four to six weeks. A
weekly charge is made according to the financial circumstances of
the parents.
Mothers' Clubs
Two Child Welfare Centres provided facilities for mothers
to meet and, with help from the health visitors, arrangements were
made for speakers to attend and films to be shown on health topics.
Four other clubs are organised by the Greenwich Council of Social
Service, two of these also being held in Borough Council Welfare
Centres.
Co-ordinating Committee
This Committee was established to initiate a policy of ensuring
that full use is made of the the preventive and other services, both
statutory and voluntary, to avoid the break-up of families and to
prevent the neglect or ill-treatment of children. It consists of representatives
from the appropriate branches of the Council's Health