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54
Inspection of Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
In 1938 arrangements were made for officers of the Ministry of
Health to visit and report upon the Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres in the Borough. The Centres were duly inspected during the
month of September and a letter, dated 10th November, 1938, was
subsequently received from the Secretary, Ministry of Health, stating
that on consideration of the report made by his Medical Officer the
Minister desired to express his appreciation of the excellent work for
mothers and children which had been, and was being, carried out in
the Borough. The letter further stated that the Minister was advised
that the character of the accommodation available for the Infant Welfare
Centres at "Belsize". "Mill Lane" and "Lisburne Road"
tended to handicap in important respects the work carried on at the
Centres, as the accommodation, besides suffering from defects of convenience
and general amenities, was unsuited for adequate development
of educational work by collective instruction, classes and demonstrations,—a
development which in the Minister's opinion is of the
highest importance in order that the best results may be obtained,—
and that the Minister thought that the Borough Council, in conjunction
with the Hampstead Council of Social Service, should consider all
practicable steps for meeting the needs of the service in the way of
more adequate accommodation. The letter further stated that, in
conjunction with the Hampstead Council of Social Service, the desirability
of further measures of co-ordination of municipal work with
that of the Voluntary Centres should be considered by the Council,
and suggested that, in this connection, the present limitations of the
duties performed by the Health Visitors at the Infant Welfare Centres
and Clinics for children between one and five years of age should
receive consideration. The Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
decided to invite the observations of the Hampstead Council of Social
Service upon the contents of the Ministry of Health's letter.
The matter was under consideration at the close of the year.
Total number of attendances at all Centres during the
year:—
(i) By children under 1 year of age—11,376.
(ii) By children between the ages of 1 and 5 years—
6,958.