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24
It will be seen that one child was removed from the care of a
fostermother after an Order had been obtained from the Court
under vSection 212 of the Public Health Act, 1936. In this case
a woman had taken charge of a child two weeks of age when she had
already been notified that she would not be permitted to have the
care of a child under two years of age. Usually in such cases, the
threat of legal action is sufficient to secure the removal of the child,
but in this case immediate action was considered necessary in view
of the fostermother's previous record. The cliila was placed in the
care of an approved fostermother until her own mother made other
suitable arrangements. In six other cases the removal of a child
was requested and in each instance the request was complied with.
During the year, Dr. Dorothy Taylor, the Senior Woman
Assistant Medical Officer, was appointed by the Council as a child
protection visitor under Section 209 of the Public Health Act, 1936,
to enable her to have authority to make inspections in any special
case.
MIDWIFERY SERVICE.
The Midwifery Service established in accordance with the
provisions of the Midwives Act, 1936, came into operation on the
1st May, 1937. At the end of 1938 the staff comprised ten midwives,
an additional midwife having been appointed during the
year to serve the expanding area of Northolt. This appointment
had to be expedited by reason of three independent midwives, who
all practised in a small way in Northolt or North Greenford,
surrendering their certificates.
The question of maintaining a staff of midwives sufficient
to serve the needs of the Borough will need further consideration
in the near future. At the end of the year the two independent
midwives undertaking the majority of the cases derlt with apart
from the Council's scheme, discontinued practice and the majority
of their cases will have to be dealt with by the municipal midwives.
As these midwives attended over one hundred cases in the Borough
during the year the anticipated increase in the cases to be attended
by the Council's staff is more than can be done by one whole-time
midwife.