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especially as the older homes gradually close or come under new management In
the latter event they will be subject to re-registration and will be required to fulfil all
the requirements for a new home.
Maternity
and childwelfare
work
by voluntary
associations.
Voluntary associations engaged in maternity and child-welfare work.—Under the
Discontinued Grants Order 1930 made by the Minister of Health under Section 101 (6)
of the Local Government Act, 1929, the Council is responsible for the payment of
grants to 57 maternity and child-welfare associations. Similar grants are payable
under the Order by metropolitan borough councils to certain child-welfare associations
in their boroughs. The money for these grants is contained in the block grant
payable by the Ministry of Health to the councils concerned. In deciding which
authority shall pay the grant the Ministry appears to have been guided by the general
principle that the Council should be responsible for payments to institutions dealing
with maternity work and the welfare of mothers (which in certain cases also includes
their babies) and with homes for healthy babies, whereas the borough councils should
be responsible for the grant to those institutions dealing more particularly with child
welfare. The amount payable by the Council is £33,064 per annum. These grants
are only payable on the conditions (inter alia):—
(i) That the Council is satisfied as to the efficiency of the maternity and
child-welfare service provided by the association in respect of which the contribution
is payable and that such service is being used by a reasonable number
of those persons for whom it is provided;
(ii) That no reduction or alteration of such service is made without the
consent of the Council.
It is necessary therefore that these associations should be inspected from time to
time by the Council's officers. This work is carried out by the medical staff employed
on work under the Nursing Homes Registration Act, while occasionally it also involves
the employment of a sanitary inspector, who is detailed by the chief inspector from
amongst his staff.
Children Act,
1908.
The Annual Report for the year 1921 indicated fully the powers of the Council
under the Children Act, 1908, Part I, with regard to infant life protection. Fourteen
qualified nurses carry out the work of inspection and act as visitors under the Act.
Failure to comply with the law requiring notification within 48 hours of the
reception of a child subject to Part I of the Children Act is a punishable offence.
Special enquiries are made by male inspectors of the public health department
when there is information or suspicion that the keeping of a nurse infant has not
been reported to the Council. Caution, prosecution, removal of the child to a place
of safety or other appropriate action follows.
Newspaper advertisements of (or for) foster-mothers are followed up and there
is extensive and constant co-operation with maternity and child welfare authorities
in London and other parts of the country, the Metropolitan and other Police, the
N.S.P.C.C., philanthropic societies, hospital almoners and other associations and
persons concerned with matters affecting the welfare of children.
The particular concern which the Council has shown for the safeguarding of
foster children, who for the most part are illegitimate and the offspring of women
in straitened circumstances, who cannot go to work until a home is found for the
child, has resulted in a widespread expectation on the part of mothers and authorities
or persons interested in them, that the officers concerned with the administration
of Part I of the Children Act shall introduce applicants, whose necessity is usually
very urgent, to suitable persons willing to receive the children for moderate payment.
This onerous task, which entails responsibility quite beyond the provisions
of the Children Act, is undertaken to the fullest extent compatible with discretion
and with the degree to which the supply of foster mothers having suitable homes
can meet the demand.