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7
CHILD WELFARE CENTRES.
The total attendances at White Hart Lane Centre were 10,622,
compared with 15,702 in the previous year and 121,931 in 1942,
while at Alexandra Park Centre they were 3,012, compared with
3,759 in 1943 and 3,049 in 1942. The reduction in the number of
attendances in each case occurred during the months when flying
bombs and rockets were prevalent. At these times mothers were
advised not to bring their children to the Centres any oftener than
was absolutely necessary.
The number of children brought to the Centres was 2,147, of
whom 1,226 were infants under one year and 921 of from one to
five years.
The number of children seen by Dr. Miller at the centres during
the year was 2,066, and of these 1,196 were infants and 870 children
from one to five years.
Of the 26 infantile deaths which occurred during the year, in
only three cases had the baby been brought to one of the Centres.
Ante-natal clinics were held at the White Hart Lane Centre
on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings throughout the year.
The number of expectant mothers who attended, was 445.
Fifty-two women were sent to Maternity Hospitals for confinement
under the normal hospital arrangements made by the Council,
while 76 were sent to Maternity Homes or Hostels under the Government
Evacuation Scheme.
HOME VISITING.
The Health Visitors made a, total of 5,322 visits during the
year. Of these 287 were ante-natal visits to expectant mothers,
2,438 to babies under one year, and 2,597 to children of from one
to five years. They also continued to act as Infant Life Protection
Visitors, visiting all licensed foster-mothers and foster-children at
regular intervals. There were 4 foster-mothers and 4 foster-children
on the register at the end of the year.
Free Food.
Free food consisting of dried milk and cod-liver oil emulsion
was issued during the year to necessitous expectant and nursing
mothers attending the Centres at a cost of £25 16s. 1d.
Cod-liver oil and fruit-juice were issued at the Child Welfare
Centres with the co-operation of the staff of the local Food Office.