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28
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
Prior to the 1st July, 1931, there were two Health Visitors in the service of the Council,
their work being supplemented by that of the Health Visiting Staff of the Paddington School
for Mothers, a voluntary society receiving an annual grant from the Council. With a view
to improving the general efficiency of the maternity and child welfare work in the Borough,
the Council, towards the close of the year 1930, decided to take into its service the whole of the
Salaried Staff of the School, together with the part-time Medical Officers and Masseuses attending
the various consultations. The transfer was effected on the above-mentioned date. The
full staff now consists of 8 whole-time Health Visitors, 1 part-time Health Visitor, 9 part-time
Medical Officers, 2 part-time Masseuses and 1 part-time Clerical Assistant.
Health Visitors.
The duties of these officers are:—
(1) To visit the homes of children from birth up to the age of 5 years where considered
necessary.
(2) To make enquiries concerning stillbirths and deaths of infants and young children.
(3) To visit and give advice to parents in cases of ophthalmia of the new-born, infective
enteritis and other important diseases.
(4) To investigate all cases of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia.
(5) To attend the maternity and infant consultations at the Centres provided by the
Paddington School for Mothers.
The home visiting work performed by the Health Visitors during the year is summarised
in the appended table.

Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
These are provided by the Paddington School for Mothers, which is a voluntary society
financed by voluntary contributions and by grants from the Paddington Borough Council,
and before April 1st, 1930, from the Ministry of Health.
The scheme made by the Minister of Health under section 101 (6) of the Local Government
Act, 1929, provided for an annual contribution of £2,750 to be made by the Council to the
Paddington School for Mothers, as from April 1st, 1930.
In July, 1930 the Executive Committee of the Paddington School for Mothers offered
to arrange for the transfer to the Council's service of the Salaried Officers of the School,
namely:—Medical Officers, Health Visitors, Masseuses and Clerical Assistant, in order to
unify the Maternity and Child Welfare Service of the Borough.