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Beauchamp Lodge Emergency Home for Children.—Arrangements can be made for the admission
of children to this home whilst the mothers are in hospital. The charge therefor is 12s. 6d. per
week per child. In no instance was it found necessary to make use of these facilities during the
year.
PROVISION OF EXTRA NOURISHMENT FOR NECESSITOUS MOTHERS
AND CHILDREN.
Following the receipt of Circular No. 1519 of the Minister of Health, the Council reconsidered
the scheme for the supply of extra nourishment to necessitous mothers and children, with the result
that grants to expectant mothers have now been made available after the third month of pregnancy
and to all children under the age of five years not attending school. The requirement as to a medical
certificate has been dispensed with, the Committee being guided by the report of the Health Visitor,
it being deemed that the nourishment recommended is necessary for the maintenance of health.
The term " nursing mother " is construed as " a mother who has given birth to a living or stillborn
child within a year."
The extra nourishment may take the form of butter and eggs in addition to or in substitution
for milk where considered necessary, the normal grant being a half-pound of butter weekly and one egg
daily. To ensure uniformity National Mark " Standard " eggs are specified.
A copy of the revised scheme is given below.
Scheme fob Grants of Nourishment.
1. The supply of nourishment at less than cost price shall be limited to necessitous applicants being :—
(а) Expectant mothers after the third month of pregnancy ;
(б) Nursing mothers ; or
(c) Children under the age of five years, not being educated in schools recognised by the Board of
of Education.
2. On the receipt of an application for the supply of nourishment at less than cost price, a visit shall be
made to the home of the applicant by one of the Council's Health Visitors and a periodical report on the home
conditions, health of children, etc., shall be made for the information of the Committee when considering renewal.
3. Where deemed necessary the income of the applicant's family shall be verified by the Investigation
Officer.
4. The " Grants " Committee—being a Sub-Committee of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
—shall meet as frequently as circumstances warrant but not less than once a month. All applications for
supply of nourishment at less than cost price shall be reserved for consideration by the " Grants " Committee,
and, except as hereafter provided, no supply shall be granted until the application has been considered by
the " Grants " Committee.
5. In considering an application for a supply of nourishment at less than cost price the "Grants"
Committee shall adhere to the scale of incomes set out in the Schedule appended to this Scheme, but where the
" Grants " Committee are of opinion that strict adherence to the scale would deprive any mother or child of
a supply of nourishment really necessary on grounds of health, the Committee may take into consideration
any other facts of the case, and make their decision accordingly.
6. The Medical Officer of Health may authorise the issue of an Emergency Order for the requisite supply
for a period sufficient to include the interval which will elapse before the next meeting of the " Grants "
Committee.
7. Orders for the supply of nourishment shall be in the prescribed form and no payment for any such
supply shall be made except upon production of the receipt of supply signed by the recipient.
8. The name of any purveyor of milk who has been convicted of any breach of the Milk and Dairies
Order, 1926, or of an offence against the law as regards adulteration, etc., shall be reported to the Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee, who will decide whether further orders shall be placed with such purveyor of
milk. Samples shall be taken periodically of the milk supplied under any order issued under this Scheme.
9. Stock books showing orders for the disposal of all forms of dried milk and of other preparations of
milk shall be kept by the Public Health Department, and stock shall be taken monthly at each Welfare Centre
which acts as a distributing centre.
10. No grants shall be made to families in receipt of Public Assistance.
11. " Pasteurised " milk shall be supplied to recipients of ordinary milk grants, provided that the medical
officers engaged at the welfare centres shall be authorised, in special cases, to recommend the supply of
" Tuberculin Tested " milk.
12. Where the medical officer of a welfare centre considers that any mother or child attending is in
urgent need of cod liver oil, vitamin preparation or other ancillary food and the family is already on grant
from the Council, a free grant may be made. Further, if the family be not at the time in receipt of a grant
but their economic circumstances appear to be such that in the opinion of the Superintendent of the Centre
the food cannot be afforded, a grant may be made free of cost. In the latter cases, however, records of such
emergency free grants shall be submitted to the Maternity and Child Welfare (Grants) Sub-Committee for
•approval.