View report page

107
SECTION IX.-MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS.
The Medical Officer of Health is the Administrative Maternity and Child Welfare
Officer, and the immediate supervision of the work is undertaken by the Deputy Medical
Officer of Health.
During the year under review several major changes were made. The Borough was
divided into seven "Welfare Districts" each served by its own Centre. One such district,
Ward 7, was placed in the charge of the University College Hospital Welfare Department.
A special report on this scheme will be found on page 116.
The committee of the Caversham Road Centre decided to bring to a close its long
period of work in the Borough as from the end of March and the Centre was accordingly
transferred to temporary quarters in Torriano Avenue. In order to give this centre a
permanent home the Council obtained a site in Raglan Street upon which to build. This
building known as the Kentish Town Centre was completed in February, 1938. The newcentre
is the first to be controlled entirely by the Borough Council.
This occasion is taken to place on record appreciation of the many years of most
excellent work undertaken by the Committee of the Caversham Road Centre. Those who
know something of the inner working of this committee will recognise that it is fitting that
special mention should be made of the large share of this work borne by Miss de Pass.
Miss de Pass was the originator and benefactress of this Centre and she was an untiring
voluntary worker. She was a pioneer in Maternity and Child Welfare work whose name
will be remembered by a wide circle.
The remaining five districts have had their boundaries re-allocated, otherwise they
continue to function as before each with its own Centre, Superintendent, Health Visitors,
Voluntary Workers and Voluntary Committee. The welfare movement of to-day owes its
existence in a great measure to good work of these committees. They started the Centres in
the pioneering days when neither the Borough Council nor the Ministry gave any financial
support. They have carried on the work to its present advanced state. St. Pancras can
claim a special distinction in that the St. Pancras School for Mothers, now in its 31st year,
was the first Welfare Centre in its modern conception to be established in this country. This
Centre is still attended by students of the movement from all over the world.
The superintendents and health visitors (the latter with a few exceptions) are salaried
officers of the Borough Council and, while working in close co-operation with the voluntary
committees, are under administrative supervision from the Town Hall.
Co-operation between the Voluntary Committees and the Council is maintained by
the Maternity and Child Welfare (Advisory) Sub-Committee. Representatives of the
voluntary committees and of the Public Health Committee of the Council serve on this
advisory sub-committee, and to it are referred for consideration and report matters affecting
maternity and child welfare work in the Borough as a whole.
In addition to these seven Welfare Centres there are a number of other associations
that render valuable ancillary services in connection with the Council's Maternity and
Child Welfare scheme.
Detailed information as to the work carried out at the different centres, ancillary
services rendered by other associations, and as to the financial contributions made by the
Borough Council, will be given later in this section, and refers only to those services to which
the Council make a contribution,