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Mothercraft and home-making class—Since 1957 the Divisional Health Committee had
explored the possibility of establishing a mothercraft and home-making class for selected
mothers who would benefit from this instruction, but the problem of finding social agencies
who could spend time on liaison work in persuading mothers to make regular attendances
and to keep the instructor in touch with developments with families could not be resolved,
although all the voluntary organisations interested were in favour of the scheme in
principle.
In 1961, however, the Islington Family Service Unit offered to provide accommodation
for a class of about six mothers and to undertake the necessary liaison work. Owing to
limited space it was not possible to provide a creche on the premises to mind children of
mothers attending the class, but the Health Committee agreed that such children could
be looked after free of charge during the training sessions in the nearby Canonbury Place
day nursery. The class commenced on 21 November. Mothers attending have all been
recommended by intensive caseworkers who introduce mothers to the class at their first
attendance, and, when possible, attend with them for the first few visits. The mothers
need continuous encouragement to attend and voluntary helpers who collect most mothers
in their own cars make an important contribution to the running of the group. Attendances
at the sessions varied between six and three mothers.
Health education for expectant mothers—The attention of hospitals with maternity units
was drawn to health education facilities for expectant mothers available in the Council's
welfare centres and an invitation was issued for hospital-booked expectant mothers to
attend. A more definite link between the hospital service and welfare centres was developed
between the Royal Free hospital and the West Islington and Leage Street welfare centres.
A pamphlet setting out the regular mothercraft and relaxation exercise classes in the welfare
centres in the division and inviting mothers attending the ante-natal clinic at the hospital
to attend the centre nearest their home was issued over the names of the obstetrician and
myself. At Leage Street welfare centre a weekly evening session for relaxation exercises
and parent-craft teaching was arranged for both welfare centre and hospital patients.
Short talks and discussions on understanding childbirth, or relaxation exercises, are
followed after a break for tea by parent craft discussions or films and fathers have been
invited to take part in some of the latter together with their wives.
Attachment of a health visitor to a group practice—From 30 October a health visitor was
attached to a group practice in Central Islington. This practice is run by three doctors in
purpose-adapted premises. The arrangement is an experimental one and the intention is
that the health visitor will be available for home visiting, advice to and health education
of all families with children under five years of age on the list of the group practice. All
these families are given the option of continuing to attend their welfare centre. The doctors
concerned run ante-natal and child welfare sessions and record their findings on the Council's
forms. The health visitor assists with these sessions exactly in the same way as in the
Council's own centres and also runs a relaxation and mothercraft class on the practice
premises.
First impressions of the experiment have been encouraging; attendances at clinic sessions
have been good and many mothers have expressed satisfaction with the scheme which is
likely to strengthen co-operation between the general practitioner and local health authority
services.
Employment of coloured home helps—The number of coloured residents in the division
has been increasing for some years and they now represent a significant proportion of the
total. During 1961 a special effort was made to encourage the employment of coloured
home helps. They have proved to be able workers and have been found to be popular,
both with the households they visit and with the other home helps. In the future, it may
be expected that they will contribute in greater numbers to the flow of recruits needed for
the home help service.
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