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102
There can be no doubt of the beneficent value of a reliable
home help in any home where the mother is confined to bed from
any incapacitating illness, and as the result of experience I am of
opinion that the scope of the provision should be extended rather
than curtailed. With that end in view I take this opportunity
of bringing to your notice certain features of your present scheme
which might be modified as the result of experience.
List of Approved Home Helps.
There is difficulty in obtaining enough experienced and reliable
women who are willing to have their names put on the Council's
approved list owing to the spasmodic and casual nature of the
employment. During recent years the number of names in the list
has varied from 10 to 14. At certain times the number of available
home helps is insufficient to meet applications for their services; and
at other times a home help may not be employed for months at a
time. Casual employment of this type is not likely to attract the
best type of woman, who generally prefers more regular employment.
Time of Duty.
The Council's regulations specify that the home help shall
attend daily at the home from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., or for not less
than ten hours daily to be arranged.
As the result of experience I find that in some homes (e.g. in
families with many young children) the home help may be fully
occupied for at least ten hours daily; whereas in other cases
(e.g. first confinements) there is not sufficient work to keep her
occupied for more than a few hours daily.
Payment.
Before the present scheme was put into operation a questionnaire
addressed to 34 Maternity and Child Welfare Authorities
throughout the country revealed that the average wage paid to
municipal home helps was £1 103. 6d. per week ; and your Council
later fixed the wage in this Borough at 5s. 6d per day (i.e.
£1 18s. 6d. per week).
Since the scheme has been in operation, some 360 Leyton
mothers have applied for the services of municipal home helps.
In 158 cases the charge to the patient has been remitted, and in all