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they are at work. The provision of white overalls to be worn in
the homes, improves the standard of hygiene and adds dignity to
the work, whilst also protecting the Home Help's personal clothing.
Supervision is exercised by the Health Visitors who call at
the home during the time the Home Help is in attendance.
The organisation of this service is attended with considerable
difficulties, some almost impossible to overcome these days.
Among the latter the question of exactly when the baby will
arrive, confronts all who handle maternity services. On some
days "late" babies and "early" babies arrive almost together.
At times the Home Helps are usefully employed in the Council's
Day Nurseries whilst waiting for their services to be required.
Another unavoidable difficulty causing disappointment occurs
when a Home Help falls ill, but this fortunately is infrequent.
Change of plans, miscarriage, admission to hospital, etc., may all
occur after early application for the Home Help has been made,
and if the appropriate cancellation be delayed disorganisation in
the service is inevitable.
On the whole the Home Helps are warmly greeted and a
high degree of satisfaction is evident from the many letters of
thanks received in respect of their services.
11. MINISTRY OF HEALTH CIRCULAR 221/45 dealt
with the Nursery provision for children under five. Consideration
was asked regarding the War-time Nurseries under the following
headings:—
(a) Which Nurseries should continue under Maternity and
Child Welfare powers by the Welfare Authority.
(b) Which Nurseries should be taken over and run as Nursery
Schools or Nursery Classes by the Education Authority.
(c) Which Nurseries should be closed on the grounds that
they are surplus to requirements.
After consideration of the problem by the Maternity and Child
Welfare and the Education Committees, it was decided that
Princes Avenue Nursery and Carlyon Road Nursery be taken over
by the Education Authority as Nursery Classes or Nursery Schools.
Later, however, in view of local circumstances and the continued
demand for women in employment, all the Nurseries remained
under the administration of the Maternity and Child Welfare
Committee. Now (February, 1947), District Road Nursery has
been closed prior to a Nursery being erected at Vale Farm, the
District Road Nursery having been on the site of bombed private
dwelling-houses now due to be rebuilt.
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