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32
Providing
Maternity
and Child
Welfare
Clinics
Voluntary organisations
Agreements have been made for the period ending 31st March, 1950, between the
Council and twenty voluntary bodies who provide maternity and child welfare services
and who were grant-aided by the metropolitan borough councils. The centres
continue to function under the management of the voluntary bodies concerned, and
the Council makes a substantial grant towards the expenses. The Council is represented
on the voluntary committees, and has powers of inspection of the premises. The
Council has also made a grant to a similar body which operates in two of its health
divisions and which was not grant-aided by any of the metropolitan borough councils.
Four voluntary bodies (including the Royal College of St. Katherine by the Tower,
which operated three maternity and child welfare centres), intimated to the Council
that they did not wish, or were unable, to continue to provide the facilities and the
Council assumed responsibility for the administration of the centres and the employment
of the staff. The equipment was purchased at an agreed figure.
Providing
Day Nurseries
and Creches
Similar agreements have been made with six voluntary bodies who provide day
nursery facilities, and were grant-aided by the metropolitan borough councils.
St. Vincent's Day Nursery in St. Marylebone, which was formerly grant-aided,
is continuing to operate independently of financial support from public funds, as is
the Goodwill Centre in Shoreditch. One voluntary body intimated to the Council
that it did not wish to continue to provide facilities and the Council assumed responsibility
for the administration of the nursery and the employment of the staff. The
equipment was purchased at an agreed figure.
Under the provisions of the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act, 1948,
which came into force as from 30th July, 1948, the Council is required to register all
premises (other than those used mainly as private dwellings) where children are
received to be cared for during a substantial part of the day, that is, premises used
as private day nurseries. Eight of these premises had been registered by 31st
December, 1948.
Before premises are registered, the Council must be satisfied that they are in every
way suitable and that there are satisfactory arrangements for the care of the children.
The Council has the right of inspection of registered premises at any time to ensure
that there is no departure from the approved standard.
Providing
In-Patient
Treatment
Two voluntary organisations provide special in-patient treatment for mothers
and babies experiencing breast-feeding difficulties and for babies with dietetic upsets,
and arrangements have been made for these facilities to be available to persons
recommended for the treatment by the Council's divisional medical officers. The
Council assists the organisations financially, and patients are required to pay for
board at the rate of £1 Is. a week for adults and 7s. a week for children over the age
of six months. Younger children are admitted free of charge.
Other Grants
Up to 4th July, 1948, grants were paid under the Local Government Act, 1929,
to six maternity hospitals, eight district midwifery practices and the Central Council
for District Nursing in London. The grants formerly paid to district nursing associations
and certain mother and baby homes and baby homes under circular 32/44 of the
Ministry of Health towards the cost of applying the " Rushcliffe " salaries for nurses
and midwives ceased on 4th July, 1948. The loss of grant under this head will be
taken into account by the Council in aiding the associations and homes under the
National Health Service Act.
Clinics
All facilities in existence at 5th July, 1948, have been continued and, where
possible, improved. Modification of areas served by various centres will be made as
and when found to be necessary, and a beginning has been made in adjustment of
areas served by hospital centres. The augmentation of services where they were
deficient is dependent on many factors, not least of which is the provision of the