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Occasional creches—These creches provide for the children of mothers attending a clinic
or class on the premises and also give occasional relief to mothers who, for various reasons
such as visits to hospitals, shopping, laundering and other domestic duties, wish to be
relieved of their young children for two or three hours during the day; they also present
an opportunity for an only child to associate with other children of similar age. At
31 December a total of 88 sessions a week was being held, providing for 1,610 childattendances
weekly.
Prevention of break-up of families
It was possible during the year to provide caseworkers to undertake the support and
intensive care of problem families in two more divisions, leaving only one without such
workers. By 31 December nine full time social caseworkers were undertaking this work
in the county and thirteen assistant organisers were working with one or two families
each.
As in previous years, the Council made a grant to Family Service Units in London
towards the cost of their work with families in difficulty. The amount of the grant for the
financial year 1961/62 (divided equally between the Health and Children's committees) was
£12,715. During the year the Council agreed to make an annual grant for three years to
the Family Welfare Association as a contribution towards their work with families with
problems. The grant for 1961/62 was £1,000.
Admission to maternity beds
The shortage of maternity beds, especially in North West London, continued to cause
anxiety throughout the year and the attention of the Ministry of Health was drawn to a
continued increase in the number of women who had to be admitted to hospital in labour
through the Emergency Bed Service because they had been unable to book a bed. Discussions
on the subject took place with representatives of the Ministry, the North West
Metropolitan regional hospital board and the teaching hospitals in the area. The Ministry
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