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body appointing its own chairman and honorary secretary. Every borough has a local association
of care committees, composed of persons appointed by the Council and of representatives of the
care committees and teachers. They are entrusted with the general supervision under the Education
Committee of the work of the children's care committees of their respective areas. A staff
of 155 professionally-trained women co-ordinate the work of the volunteers and give guidance
to new members.
When the Council decided to give an opportunity for the co-operation of the private citizen
in work for the community by delegating to children's care committees certain of its duties, the
trail had been already blazed by voluntary workers who had banded together to work for the
children in the poorest schools, and who had clearly demonstrated the need to consider every
handicapped child, not only in the light of its personal and immediate needs, but in relation to its
home environment and ultimate well-being.
In establishing the care committees the Council hoped that, by using the spirit of service
which was everywhere abroad, bare Acts of Parliament could be interpreted in terms of human
fellowship and understanding, and further that parents would personally be made aware of the
many opportunities the London education service offered for the well-being and development of
their children.
The actual responsibilities of the care committees include the duty of:—
(a) Seeing that no school child in need of food is unprovided for, either at home or
through the school, and discriminating between the necessitous and non-necessitous home.
(b) That no child found by the school inspecting doctor to require medical treatment
or advice fails to receive it.
(c) That no child leaving school shall do so in ignorance of the possibilities the district
has to offer in the way of suitable employment, further education and social recreation.
Under the Provision of Meals Act, 1906 (now Education Act, 1921, sections 83 and 84)
application for free meals is made to the head teacher who has the power to grant emergency
meals should the physical condition of the child warrant them. The honorary secretary of the
care committee is immediately notified in order that arrangements for a home visit may be made
to ascertain the cause of the trouble as it presents itself to the parents. A definite statement of
income is taken and a friendly talk about ways and means ensues. The circumstances of the
families of children who are fed for more than six months are reported to the chronic and difficult
cases committees of the local associations, whose duty it is to advise what further action should
be taken.
The Act was intended to deal with malnutrition, which may have many causes. The care
committee system is an attempt to find out and deal with the causes, whether physical or economic,
and in this attempt the workers co-operate with the school doctors and the teachers and consult
with others interested in the family, as well as enlisting the assistance of suitable social agencies
of the neighbourhood.
Milk meals are given in school on payment of cost price, or free or for part payment, on the
recommendation of the school doctor on medical grounds, and on the decision of the care committee
on economic grounds. A very large number of children have milk on payment into milk
clubs arranged by the teachers. The figures in July, 1931, for official milk, i.e., milk given on a
doctor's advice, were :—
Number of children receiving milk for payment ... ... 14,300
Number of children receiving milk free ... ... ... 8,190
Under the Administrative Provisions (Medical Treatment) Act, 1907, (now Education Act,
1921, section 80) a routine inspection of each child takes place four times in its school career
(in addition to a dental inspection in the intermediate years up to the age of 12) ; as an entrant
(medical information is passed on from the infant welfare centres), at 8 and at 12 years of age,
and the term before leaving school, but children's care workers, teachers and attendance officers
are encouraged to present to the school medical officer children who seem to need medical advice
between the official age groups. A care committee worker is present with the doctor at each
medical inspection and is thus enabled in most cases to make immediate arrangements for treatment.
Opposition to medical inspection having now practically disappeared, the mothers usually
attend the inspections well, especially where the younger children are concerned. (In 1931 the
attendance of parents at infants' inspections was 89 per cent., and the attendance of parents
at all inspections 74-5 per cent.) The absent mother is visited afterwards by the children's care
worker and the doctor's report explained. For such ailments as defective viRion, enlarged tonsils,
dental decay and various skin complaints, comprised in the term " minor ailments," the Council
makes provision by supporting " medical treatment centres," managed by local committees,
or, if within a voluntary hospital, by the hospital board. A children's care organiser makes appointments
at these on the application of the care committee secretaries and keeps them in touch with
the progress of the case.
The Council is statutorily bound to make a charge for treatment, but in cases of necessity
the cost may be reduced or remitted by a decision of the care committee. About 300,000 children
receive treatment at the centres every year, but the percentage of those claiming inability to pay
is comparatively small.
Medical treatment for other ailmenta can be obtained at various hospitals and the Council
itself makes provision for in-patient treatment for tuberculosis, rheumatism, external eye trouble
and other serious diseases in children. In addition, about 100 London children are sent every
Provision of
meals.
Medical
treatment.