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53
Maternity
and childwelfare
work
by voluntary
associations.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Contributions (London) Schemes, 1933 to
1936, for the four years from 1st April, 1933 to 31st March, 1937, provide for payment
by the Council of grants in each of the financial years 1933-34, 1934-35, 1935-36,
1936-37, to forty-nine voluntary associations. The current schemes provide for payment
by the Council of grants amounting to £31,587 in the year 1936-37.
The grants are 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 performed by the medical staff engaged
on work in connection with the registration of nursing homes, while it also involves
the employment of a sanitary inspector, who is detailed by the chief inspector from
amongst his staff.
In the course of the year two baby homes were closed and the services, temporarily
in one case, are now being conducted at premises outside the county.
An increase in the amount of grant to one mother and baby home was authorised
in respect of additional maternity and child welfare services.
The Council pays a grant of £222 a year, as the agent of the Middlesex County
Council, to one association which has transferred the service of a branch home from
the county of Middlesex to premises within the administrative county of London.
The Council at the request of the Minister of Health (Circular 1541) considered
the question of the voluntary associations conducting maternity and child welfare
services in London, which the Minister should be advised to include in a new scheme
to be prepared by him under section 101(6) of the Local Government Act, 1929,
with effect for five years from April, 1937, and the amount of annual contribution
to be paid to each association. The Minister of Health was informed of the result
of the Council's consideration of this matter. The following table indicates the nature
of the services which will be aided by the Council:—

* 45 associations provide a single service and 4 associations provide more than one type of service.

t 2,057 of these were dealt with in the first instance by telephone and correspondence.