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13
The Annual Report for 1945 will show a considerable
increase in this service and it is hoped that, with a more
reasonable rate of pay, ls.6d. per hour instead of the basic
1s.3d. per hour, even more Home Helps will be enrolled, with a
narrowing of the gap between supply and demand. Only cases in
which ill health or old age is a factor can be assisted through
this service.
FAMILY GUIDANCE.
The Council continued its financial support of the
Croydon Mothers' and Infants' welfare Association during 1944,
as a result of which many cases were referred from the Centres
and Clinics for advice which they obtained on financially
advantageous terms compared with the residents of other localities
which did not give official support to the association.
HEALTH VISITATION.
During the early part of 1944 the Council continued
to employ four Health Visitors but in February 1944 decided to
appoint a fifth Health Visitor to meet the demands occasioned by
the increased Birth Rate of the last few years. The Health
Visitors continued to work under the supervision of the Medical
Officer of Health and during the year paid a total of 10,309
visits, compared with 8,341 and 7,924 in the two previous years.
The number of primary visits to babies remained
high, 788 such visits being paid, compared with 836, 777 and
487 in the three preceding years, but the more satisfactory
point is to be able to record that an average of 3 visits was
paid to each child under 1 year of age, compared with an average
of only 2 visits in 1942 and 1943. Altogether 91% of the
Births registered in the District were visited.
It was also practicable to increase the number of
visits to children from 1 to 5 years of age, 6,449 such visits
being paid, compared with 4,685 4,387 and 4,774 in the three
preceding years, while an increased number of ante-natal and other
health visits were carried out.
INFANT WELFARE CENTRES.
The only alteration made in the Infant Welfare
sessions held at the six Centres established by the Council was
that at Old Coulsdon the Centre was held weekly towards the end
of the year, the Doctor, however, only attending twice a month,
as at Sanderstead. The total number of sessions held was thus
increased from 261 in 1943 to 277 in 1944.
As might be expected, evacuation and enemy air
attack produced a reduction in the number of attendances, the
total number being 10,811 compared with 13,904 and 12,328 in
the two previous years and the new cases 681, compared with 811
and 848. The decreases affected all Centres with the exception
of Old Coulsdon, where the number of new cases, the total
attendances and number of consultations increased.
There was also a decrease in the number of cases
referred to hospital for minor operative or other treatment,
via. 21 compared with 38, 59 and 68 in the three preceding years*
Arrangements were made for one child to be admitted to a
convalescent home.
TODDLERS CLINICS.
The year under review was the fifth complete year
in which special sessions were held at which the Doctors
confined their attention to children from 2-5 years of age.
The actual number of sessions was 1 more than in
1943 and 4 more than in 1942, but probably owing to war
conditions there was a drop in the number of examinations made,
viz. only 165 primary examinations compared with 241 and 198,
and 289 re-examinations, compared with 323 and 26l in the two