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121
Infant Life Protection—Children Acts, 1908-1932.
The duties under the above Acts were transferred to the Borough Council on April 1st,
1933. The following statement as to the duties and the recommendations of the Public
Health Committee in connection with carrying out the work were approved by the Council:—
" The duties comprise the supervision of the health and well-being of all children
who are under the care of foster mothers until such children reach the age of nine years.
A register of foster mothers must be kept with a list of children under their care, and the
Local Authority may fix a maximum number of nurse-infants who may be kept in any
dwelling. Records must also be kept with regard to removals, deaths, offences against the
Act, etc. When premises are registered for the first time, a report should be obtained as
regards suitability and sanitary condition. We consider it advisable that the District
Sanitary Inspectors shall inspect and report on the condition of the homes for registration
purposes, for the clerical staff of the Public Health Department to keep the necessary
records, and for the Health Visitors at the various Welfare Centres to carry out the duties
of inspecting and supervising the homes, the health and well-being of the children, to give
any necessary advice, and report contraventions of the Acts."
" Arrangements can be made for the extra work involved by the operation of the
Order to be carried out without addition to the staff of the Public Health Department."
During the year two children on the Register died. The coroner was notified as
required by the Acts, but no inquests were held.
At the end of the year there were 151 persons on the Register, of whom 89 for
reward were receiving 110 children.
Particulars of visits paid will be found in Table IV.
Ancillary Services.
The services here described are of value in that they complement the routine work of
home visiting and the conduct of consultations carried on at the six Welfare Centres to which
definite areas have been assigned.
University College Hospital Welfare Centre.
This Centre is not confined to St. Pancras residents and the grant paid by the Borough
Council, inasmuch as it consists of the discontinued Ministry of Health grant that used to be
paid directly to the hospital, is not to be regarded as being solely in respect of services
rendered in St. Pancras.
Considered as part of the St. Pancras Maternity and Child Welfare scheme this Centre
consists of (ft) a welfare centre attended by babies born either in the hospital or under the
auspices of the hospital domiciliary midwifery scheme ; (b) a consultative centre to which
babies can be referred for specialist advice ; (c) a treatment centre. Two Health Visitors are
employed and these visit cases attending the centre. Statistical information regarding this
centre will be found in Table III on page 105.
As mentioned on page 103 the University College Hospital Welfare Centre has
assumed responsibility for routine Maternity and Child Welfare work in Ward VII, and
particulars of this arrangement appear therein.