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118
Foster Parents
In accordance with the Boarding Out of Children Regulations,
1955, the department's observations are also sought with regard
to foster homes listed by the Children's Department into which
children have been placed by the Children's Officer in the course
of his duties.
Boarding Out
On the recommendation of the Chest Physician, arrangements
can be made for the boarding-out of children exposed to infection
in their own homes or whose parent or parents are receiving
residential treatment for tuberculosis and cannot arrange for the
care of their children. Similar arrangements can be made to enable
segregation to be achieved during immunisation with B.C.G.
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.
The services of this organisation were not made use of during
the current year.
Mothers' Clubs, etc.
These Clubs continue in four of the Council's health clinics.
There were 98 sessions during 1969 at which 1,077 mothers met
for discussion and talks by experts in a variety of skills which are
useful to mothers.
There were also 41 meetings of sewing clubs which attracted
668 mothers.
Four other such clubs called "Home Advice Groups", two of
which were held in Borough welfare clinics, were organised by the
Greenwich Council of Social Service.
Co-ordinating Committee
This Committee was established to ensure that full use is made
of 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
Health and Welfare, Children's and Housing Departments, the
Inner London Education Authority and the Housing Department