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(b) Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.—There are now several such centresin
St. Pancras supported by voluntary funds and worked in co-operation with the
Public Health Department. Most of them maintain Infant Consultations to
which the mothers are encouraged to bring their infants periodically for examination
until they reach school age. At these consultations the infants are weighed
and seen by the doctor in attendance, and the mother receives advice from the
doctor and the superintendent (who is generally a trained nurse) as to the
nurture of the child. If necessary, minor ailments of the children are also
treated. The consultations are followed up by visits paid to the homes by the
Superintendent or by voluntary workers. This important work is supplemented
in certain cases by classes for the mothers in such subjects as domestic hygiene,,
cookery, needlework, etc., and by the provision of cheap dinners for those
nursing mothers who are in need of them.
A more recent development is the Maternity Centre, which in its simplest
form is a place where expectant mothers are welcomed to receive practical
advice as to the hygiene of pregnancy and infancy, and the preparations to be
made for confinement. The mothers are also interviewed by a doctor and
advised as to treatment. Some of the St. Pancras centres now undertake this
work.
The existing Maternity and Child Welfare Centres in St. Pancras at the
end of 1914 were seven in number. Since then three more centres have been
opened, so that at time of writing they number ten. They are set out be'ow
with brief details of their work: —
The St. Pancras School for Mothers, 1, Ampthill Square, Hampstead Road,
N. W.
Three consultations a week, two for infants and one for expectant
mothers. Classes in domestic subjects. Day nursery for infants.
Cheap dinners for mothers and young children. Home visiting
by paid and voluntary visitors. Premises are a detached house
rented exclusively by the Institution.
The North St. Pancras School for Mothers, 4, Rhyl Street, Kentish Town,
N.W.
The. North St. Pancras School for Mothers (branch), Winscombe Street,
Highgate New Town, N.W.
Infant consultations twice a week at the former, and once a week at
the latter. Consultation for expectant mothers once a week
recently started at Rhyl Street. Home visiting by paid and
voluntary workers. Premises lent by the London Domestic
Mission and the People's Gospel Mission respectively. Mothers
in need are referred to the Kentish Town Dining Room for
Mothers, Lyndhurst Hall, Warden Road, N.W., and to the
Invalid Kitchen, 23, Maiden Crescent, where cheap dinners
are provided.
The Passmore Edwards' Settlement School for Mothers, Tavistock Place, W.C.
Infant consultations once a week. Consultations for expectant
mothers to be started shortly. Premises lent by the Passmore
Edwards' Settlement. The work here is amongst the Holborn
population as well as that of St. Pancras.