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The Provision of Specialist Treatment.
The Council has made arrangements for Specialists' advice and, if
necessary, treatment in respect of any child attending the child welfare
centres. Such cases are usually first referred to their own private
doctors and, subject to their consent, are subsequently referred to
hospital. The number of cases treated in this way fluctuates slightly
from year to year but is never very great. It is generally appreciated
that child welfare centres are not for the treatment of the sick but for
the periodical examination and observation of the apparently healthy
child, in order to check any minor defects or detrimental tendencies, and
for instruction on rearing children along sound lies.
Eye Defects and Treatment.
Arrangements were made during the year 1938 whereby children
suffering from eye defects could be referred by appointment to special
sessions for young children held at the Surrey County Council's Clinic
in Whytecliffe Road, Purley, and these facilities have continued throughout
the war years.
During the year 1945 appointments were made for ten children to
attend, which is about the average number referred annually since the
inception of the scheme.
Dental Treatment.
The scheme for the dental treatment of ante-natal and nursing
mothers and children under five years of age, which was launched in
1934, has continued to provide useful service during the war years. The
number of cases treated during 1945 was 47, compared with 47 in 1944
and 97, 100, 85, 67 and 90 in the preceding five years.
The Council reconsidered the scheme during 1945, as it was felt
that too few children were receiving treatment in this way, chiefly owing
to the lower scale of charges applied to similar children at the school
clinics. As a result the parents were postponing treatment until the
children commenced school. It was decided to reduce very substantially
the charges in respect of the children referred to private dental surgeons
through the Council's scheme, the new rates being comparable with
those which were then being used at the school clinics.
Day Nurseries.
Two Voluntary Day Nurseries had been established in this District
before the war and each was in receipt of an annual grant from the
Council equivalent to approximately one-third of the total cost of the
nursery, recognition of these grants being made in the block grant received
from the Government. Parents' contributions accounted for
about the same proportion of the cost.
In 1942, in view of the need for women to work in the national
interest, the Council established three War-time Nurseries, one at Purley
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