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17
Welfare Centres.
At the end of 1944 six welfare centres sessions were in
operation ; the weekly session at Southborough was merged with
the Widmore Centre at Whitehall First Aid Post owing to war
damage to Ray's Hall, Southborough. With the enthusiastic
and valuable help of the voluntary workers, the essential work
of the centres was carried on, but attendances suffered owing
to evacuation.

The returns were lowest during 1941 and 1944 when, it will
be remembered, enemy air activity reached intensive phases.
Child Life Protection.
38 routine visits were made to boarded-out children during
1944. Further contacts are made with the children at the
Welfare Centres where those under 5 years attend, and those
at School are seen from time to time at the school clinics.
At the end of 1944 there were 20 individual foster mothers
°n the register, and 25 children under 9 years registered as
boarded-out. The question of the Welfare Authority guaranteeing
payment of a foster mother has not yet arisen for con-
sideration in any case.
There is need for the closest possible co-ordination between
the various authorities responsible for the boarding-out and
adoption of young children, the Juvenile Court, the Public Assistance,
the Education Authority and the Maternity and Child
Welfare Authority.