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50
Residential Nurseries
In the report for last year, I stated that a Children's Committee had been set
up by the Council and a Children's Officer appointed, as required by the Children
Act, 1948. By arrangement, the management of the residential nurseries (except
those at hospitals, viz., New Cross, Queen Mary's, Carshalton and the South
Western) including the filling of vacancies, was transferred to the Children's Officer
on 1st Tuly.

Tudor Lodge, a large house facing Wimbledon Common, which had been
acquired by the Council, was partially opened as a residential nursery early in July,
1949. In order that the premises should be brought into use without delay, it was
found possible, by reducing structural alterations to the minimum, to provide
accommodation for 28 children from 1-5 years of age. After the completion of all
the structural alterations and when fully opened, 44 children from 0-5 years of age
will be accommodated. The management of this nursery was transferred to the
Children's Officer immediately after it was opened.
The residential nursery at the South Western Hospital was closed in December,
1949, and the children transferred elsewhere.
The children in the residential nurseries are under the medical care of visiting
medical officers who examine them periodically, as well as on admission and
discharge, and as may be required. Close co-operation is kept with the Children's
Officer in regard to questions affecting the children's health. With this in view, the
nurseries are visited at regular and frequent intervals by senior members of the
Council's medical and nursing staff.
The Care of Unmarried Mothers and their Children
The Council has continued to have regard to the advice given by the Ministry
of Health in Circular 2866/43 "that the most promising line of attack would be
that the welfare authorities should co-operate with, and reinforce the work of moral
welfare associations." The welfare authorities referred to were the then maternity
and child welfare authorities, i.e., in London, the metropolitan borough councils,
whose duties in this regard were transferred to the Council in July, 1948. The care
of the unmarried mother and her child is administered by the Council as follows.
Voluntary homes take expectant mothers during the later stages of pregnancy
and for several weeks after confinement. With the exception of two homes, confinements
take place in hospitals. Since July, 1948, the Council, as local health
authority, has continued to pay grants under Section 22 of the National Health
Service Act, to voluntary organisations maintaining mother and baby homes. The
homes are visited by medical officers of the department at least twice a year, and
by sanitary inspectors when any alterations to the premises are necessary. Standards
of staffing, space and management which have been approved by the Ministry
of Health are carefully applied to the running of the homes. The grants paid are
Voluntary
Homes