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DIVISION 6, comprising the boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich
Dr. F. R. Waldron reports:
B.C.G. vaccination—Divisional arrangements for operating the scheme for the B.C.G.
vaccination of 13-year-old schoolchildren throughout the school year were continued, and
by the end of December 2,811 children had been dealt with. In February the scheme had
been extended to training colleges and 444 students at five colleges in the division were
dealt with in the course of the year.
Backward children—The special welfare clinic for mentally retarded children under five
years of age, at which parents are able to discuss their particular difficulties with a doctor
experienced in this field and that of maternity and child welfare, was continued. Attendance
is by appointment and mothers have appreciated not only the opportunity of obtaining
professional help and guidance but also of meeting other parents with similar problems.
Chiropody—As part of the interim expansion of the chiropody service throughout
London seven additional weekly sessions were allocated to the division towards the end
of the year. The additional sessions were distributed among centres serving localities where
an unsatisfied demand for the service among persons in the priority classes was known to
exist. Homebound elderly people and invalids continued to be conveyed to centres by
ambulance.
In addition to the Council's services, some facilities are available through local voluntary
organisations.
Home help—The demand for the home help service continued to have an upward trend
in all areas of the division. Ten home helps attended special courses of training to fit them
to assist mothers in household management, cooking and budgeting. These and other
specially trained helps were employed with success in a number of households.
Useful meetings were held with representatives of all services inter-related with the home
help service.
Health education—This is conducted as an integral part of the day to day activity of
each welfare centre. Group discussions and demonstrations with film strips and other
media were a regular feature of the programmes arranged at the larger centres. Much of the
material used for health education purposes is produced by the health visitors who continued
to show ingenuity and skill in this field.
Parentcraft classes for husbands were held for the fifth successive year at three welfare
centres, one in each borough. These evening meetings, which were as popular and successful
as before, were held on the same days as the afternoon courses on mothercraft and relaxation
for expectant mothers.
Housewives' clubs—A second club sponsored by the Woolwich Council of Social Service,
for Eltham housewives, was inaugurated in October and met weekly at New Market Green
community centre, Eltham. The Divisional Health Committee authorised grants to assist
towards the expenses of the new club and those of the existing Plumstead Housewives'
club held weekly at the Garland Road welfare centre. The activities at both clubs include
cookery, dress-making demonstrations, talks and films.
Prevention of break-up of families—The co-ordinating committee met regularly to consider
policy and subjects of common concern in addition to measures to help particular
families, the allocation of social case workers and of specially trained home helps.
Of the 67 families discussed, many had been referred after intermediate case conferences
held as required at convenient locations in the division. At these conferences 59 families
were discussed and all departments of the Council and the majority of other statutory and
voluntary agencies in the area took part to a greater or lesser degree. Health visitors and
others are involved in day to day supervision of the large group of potential problem
families, of which relatively few reach the level of the special conferences.
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