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108
It may be argued that these are subjects which are best
learnt in the home, but very few of the girls have mothers who
are in a position to give them efficient training in home mangement.
This is especially the case in Acton where 3,500 women are
employed in the laundry industry alone, and of these about 1,500
are married women or widows. About one-third of the married
women in the South-West Ward are employed in laundry work,
often the mothers do not come home in the middle of the day,
or they have no time or energy to prepare a proper meal for
themselves or their children.
Under these circumstances a creche is almost a necessity,
for in the South-West Ward alone there are about 200 babies
under 12 months of age placed out with neighbours during the
day, and the conditions under which they are cared for is
extremely unsatisfactory.
Since 1908 a creche has been established in South Acton.
At first only 24 children could be received and within a few
weeks of its establishment children had to be refused because
all the beds were occupied.
During 1910 newer and more commodious premises have
been acquired in a house, with a pleasant garden where the
children can play out of doors and 37 children can now be
accommodated, where they are suitably cared for, bathed, dressed
and fed during the day.
Under these circumstances it would be a great advantage if
the creche could be utilised to provide facilities for enabling the
elder girls to obtain practice in handling and managing infants
under skilled supervision.
It is not desirable to give lessons in infant care to girls
under 12 years of age, but some arrangement might be made by
which the elder girls received definite practical instruction in
domestic hygiene and home management.