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Domestic Help Scheme—Ministry of Health Circular No. 179/44.
The Government had become concerned in regard to persons
sick or infirm who might be unable to obtain necessary domestic
assistance, and the Minister of Labour and National Service had
undertaken to assist in finding suitable persons for this work.
This service is intended for a different class of case from that
assisted by the Council's Home Help Scheme in connection with
their Maternity and Child Welfare Services, such home helps
being allocated to families during the confinement of the mother
and for incapacity immediately afterwards. The types of cases
to be considered with the domestic help service are, for example:
(a) Where the housewife falls sick or must have an operation.
(b) Where the wife is suddenly called away to see her husband
in hospital, and arrangements have to be made to look
after the children.
(c) With elderly people who are infirm or one of whom suddenly
falls ill.
(d) Where .several members of the family are ill at the same
time—e.g., during an influenza epidemic.
The Council pay domestic helps, for full-time service, £3 per
week, with approved' bus and train fares, the hours of duty being
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with two hours off for any personal affairs daily
(47-hour week), and for women unable to give such weekly fulltime
service Is. 6d. per hour, with approved' bus and train fares.
The Council recover all or a portion of these amounts, according
to the economic circumstances of the families assisted, the
Ministry of Health reimbursing full cost of the scheme, minus
such recoveries from the families made by the Borough Council.
The supply of domestic helps has remained very definitely
limited, but endeavour is made to place the available women with
the most urgent families, and in these cases the scheme is of
distinct value. The scheme has been functioning since February,
1945.
No. of families to whom Assessment re recovery of cost,
service given. Full 100% 75% 50% 25% Free
29
Period 19.2.45—26.5.45 25 1 — 1 1 1
Full-time Part-time.
No. of domestic helps on Council's
Panel on 26.5.45 4 5
23