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Care of Children.—Arrangements are made, where necessary, for the care of children whilst
their mothers are in hospital for confinement, etc. During the year 7 children were accommodated
in Beauchamp Lodge Emergency Home and 9 were temporarily placed in the charge of foster mothers,
free or at a reduced charge according to circumstances. The cost to the Council was £15 13s. Od.
PROVISION OF EXTRA NOURISHMENT FOR NECESSITOUS MOTHERS
AND CHILDREN.
During the year consideration was given to cases of children for whom grants of extra nourishment
were authorised who did not continue in regular attendance at the Welfare Centre, and in
order to secure that such children should receive proper medical supervision it was decided to amend
the scheme by the inclusion of a requirement that any child in receipt of a grant should attend one
of the Council's welfare centres at least once a month or that a report from a private doctor be
submitted.
The term "nursing mother" is construed as "a mother who has given birth to a living or stillborn
child within a year."
A copy of the present 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;
(b) Nursing mothers; or
(c) Children under the age of five years, not being educated in schools recognised by the Board of
of Education;
and it shall be a condition of the issue of a supply of nourishment for a child at less than cost price that the
child shall attend one of the Council's Welfare Centres not less often than once a month, or that a report on
the child from a private doctor be submitted, or that these conditions be specially waived by the "Grants"
Committee.
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.