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129
Infant Life Protection—Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Part XIII.
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."
At the end of the year there were 157 persons on the Register, of whom 100
were receiving 116 children for reward.
Particulars of visits paid will be found in Table IV (page 121.)
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.
Royal Free Hospital Welfare Centre.
This Centre receives a grant from the London County Council. Welfare work in regard
to babies born under arrangements for which the hospital is responsible is carried on by means of
a welfare centre and by home visiting undertaken by three Health Visitors. Particulars of the
work of this centre are given in Table III on page 111.
Supply of Milk to Mothers and Children.
The Borough Council during the year continued to make grants of milk, either free or
at reduced price. As a rule, in the case of expectant mothers, the grants were restricted to
the last three months of pregnancy, and in the case of children to those who were under three
years of age.
Where a family is in receipt of relief, the application is made by the Medical Officer
of the Welfare or Ante-natal Centre directly to the Public Assistance Committee on the
forms provided. Where the family is not in receipt of relief, the application is considered
by the Special (Milk) Sub-Committee of the Borough Council. Grants are made, either
free or at half price, in accordance with an approved scale of income. Information is
exchanged between the authorities concerned, in order to avoid overlapping.