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During the year considerable extension of our Ante-Natal
Relaxation Classes took place, so that, by the end of the year,
each district in the Area could take advantage of these excell
facilities. 81 sessions were held during 1953, with
an average attendance of 12. This average is steadily increasing.
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Child Welfare Clinics were held at 13 premises through-out
the Area, special toddler sessions being a feature at most of
these premises, A total of 26 sessions on an average was held
each week, with an average attendance of 37.
During the earlier part of 1953, approval was given to
provide vaccination against smallpox at our clinics, where
immunisation against diphtheria, pertussis(whooping cough)
or diphtheria and pertussis combined has been supplied for
many years. Vaccination facilities are now available at
most clinics in the Area.
Graphs are kept of the quarterly figures relating to
attendances at each of our welfare centres. These graphs
allow us to judge the usefulness of our clinics, both on a
geographical and numerical basis, and enable us to formulate
our policy in advance. The graphs will be available for
inspection by the Committee.
A feature of the work carried out at our Child Welfare
Clinics during the past few years has been the holding of
special Birthday Sessions. Approximately one Birthday Session
is held each month at all our Clinics. Birthday letters
are sent to parents of children up to the age of five, who
have at any time attended the Clinic. Special pre-school
record cards are kept, so that an accurate record can be
maintained of progress. When a child reaches its fifth
birthday, these cards are attached to the routine school
medical cards, and are available throughout the child's
school life. These clinics are definitely appreciated by
mothers, and allow us to pick up stragglers whose attendances
have been irregular.
Of the thirteen premises used as comprehensive clinics
throughout the Area, four are church halls, two in Friern
Barnet, one in Wood Green and one in Potters Bar. It will
readily be understood that the use of church halls is not
entirely satisfactory, since they compare unfavourably with
ad premises. Within recent years, we have transferred
clinics from two church halls in Southgate to our own premises,
with advantage to the services and to the mothers and children
who take advantage of them.
Plans are now being prepared to erect two new comprehensive
centres, one in Friern Barnet and one in Potters Bar. It
will presumably be some time before these centres are
available, but we look for ard eagerly to their inception.
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