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The graduated scale of charges made by the Council for a Home
Help is quite generous and in keeping with the present economic
situation. Discretion is allowed in special circumstances. None
the less, it appears as though the scale may shortly have to be
reconsidered, in the light of changing conditions. This will be made
the subject of a special report to the Maternity and Child Welfare
Committee.
In order to avoid misunderstandings and improve the service
provided, steps are being taken to have the duties of Home and
Domestic Helps printed on a special leaflet.
Day Nurseries.— The Day Nursery facilities available in the
Borough remain as set out in the Annual Report for 1944.
If the present policy of encouraging women to enter the labour
market is continued, the existing Day Nursery provision in Southgate
will have to be retained. Whether or not this is a wise policy has
yet to be decided. It can, I think, be justly claimed that the mental
health of children cared for in our Day Nurseries is beneficially
affected. Their behaviour improves, their emotional balance is
more quickly stabilised, while their reaction to modified discipline
noticeably alters. It cannot, however, be claimed that the physical
health of these children is affected to the same degree. Indeed, the
aggregation of young children in Day Nurseries, particularly children
under the ageof three, is generally followed by an increase in respiratory
infections and by a corresponding increase in most of the commoner
infectious diseases. Moreover, the disruption of the family unit, to
which the vast increase in Day Nursery facilities has substantially
contributed, raises an issue of considerable magnitude.
Any policy which encourages women to work away from their
homes at the expense of their families is clearly wrong. This is not
the place to suggest possible alternatives, although the problem is
one which cries aloud for national solution. It must be admitted,
of course, that the local problem, so far as Southgate is concerned,
is rather different. Here, we are catering more for children whose
mothers have to work in order to maintain their homes. Whether
we like it or not—and few who look to the future can feel at all
happy—the situation is there and must be faced. For that reason,
we must obviously maintain our Day Nurseries at their present
strength, although I personally hope that the day will come when
the number of places available can be materially reduced. In the
meantime, the responsibilities of parenthood are being inculcated
by means of our Maternity and Child Welfare Service. In this connection
the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee is considering
a wider application of these principles through the agency of special
talks and demonstrations.
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