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115
given by the health visitors with priority admission to a Day
Nursery or recommendation to known child minders.
During 1967, 160 women contacted the undermentioned Moral
Welfare Organisations in Greenwich:—
Southwark Catholic Children's Society 10
Southwark Diocesan Association 150
Compiled from information supplied by the Registrar-General
and the G.L.C., the following table gives the total number of
illegitimate births in the Borough during the current year and
indicates the numbers and ages of mothers seeking advice and
assistance:—
Illegitimate Ages of Mothers Number Seeking
Births Help
1 Under 15 years —
118 15—19 years 79
114 20—24 years 58
66 25—29 years 13
34 30—34 years 6
33 35 years and over 4
Not known —
366 Totals 160
Of the total of 160 women seeking help some 23 or 14.4% were
already pregnant on their arrival in London.
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.
At the 102 sessions held during the year there was a total attendance
of 1,004 at these two clubs.
Four other such clubs called "Home Advice Groups" are
organised by the Greenwich Council of Social Service, two of these
also being held at Borough Welfare Centres.