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26
report to the maternity and child welfare
committee.
Town Hall, Ealing.
November 28th, 1918.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is quite appropriate that I should furnish the Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee at its first meeting with a report
on the Circular of the Local Government Board on Maternity
and Child Welfare, which was issued on the 9th August, after
the passing of the Maternity and Child Welfare Act. The circular
is so important that I shall deal with it in detail so far as
it applies to Ealing, a statement being made at the same time as
to what has already been done in the Borough with respect to
the matters under consideration.
First of all it is pointed out that the Act widens out the powers
of Local Authorities in the matter of maternity and child welfare.
The Act. enables Local Authorities to make such arrangements
as may be sanctioned by the Local Government Board
for attending to the health of expectant and nursing mothers,
and of children who have not attained the age of five years and
are not being educated in schools recognised by the Board of
Education. The Act gives very wide powers to Local Authorties.
By it the payment of a grant to the Creche and even the
establishing of a Creche by the Council is placed on a legal basis.
The Circular points out that the additional services for which
the grant of 50 per cent is now available, subject to the Board
approving the arrangements, are chiefly:—
(a) Hospital treatment for children up to five years of age.
(b) Lying-in Homes.
(c) Home helps.
(d) The provision of food for expectant and nursing mothers
and for children under five years of age.
(e) Creches and day nurseries.
(f) Convalescent Homes.
(g) Homes for the children of widowed and deserted mothers
and for illegitimate children.
(h) Experimental work for the health of expectant and
nursing mothers and of infants and children under five
years of age.