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(m) Supply of Extra Nourishment.
Under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918, the Council provides grants
of milk, free or at reduced cost, to mothers and children. Milk, free or at reduced
cost, is also supplied to expectant mothers. Additional allowances of milk may be
made to children between the ages of three and 18 months on special medical certificate,
and such a certificate is also required for an ordinary allowance of milk to children
between the ages of three and five years, or for the provision of dinners to toddlers.
In special cases the usual amounts of wet or dried milk may be increased by
50 per cent. on production of a medical certificate to that effect. The gross annual
cost of this service is about £4,000, about £700 of which is recovered from the recipients.
During 1935, 18,331 gallons of milk were distributed to persons in the Borough,
and it is estimated that of this amount 12,341 gallons were distributed to children
between the ages of one and five years. In the same period 30,329 lbs. of dried milk
were distributed to children of all ages.
There are in the Borough two dining centres, both of which are conducted under
the supervision of the Medical Officer of Health. One centre is at the Model Welfare
Centre and the other is at 31, Herbert Street. In October, 1932, a scheme was
commenced under which selected children under five years of age who are eligible
on financial grounds to receive milk allowances should as an alternative be allowed
dinners. The number of individual toddlers who attended during the year 1935
was 121 and the total number of attendances was 6,596.
It is estimated that the average monthly number of persons in receipt of food
allowances—including wet and dried milk and dinners—is 750 throughout the year.
A scheme for the supply of free cod liver oil was introduced many years ago,
and, during 1935, 121 gallons were supplied free to children.
IV—Discussion.
It was mentioned on page 2 (i.e., page 109 of this Report) that there are in the
Borough of Shoreditch approximately 5,658 children between the ages of one and five
years, and it might be assumed that the majority of these children belong to families
which are of a type suitable for some supervision by officials of the Public Health
Department. Of these 5,658 children, I have ascertained that approximately 1,400
attend schools and nursery schools. The actual attendances of Shoreditch children
at day nurseries during 1935 was approximately 270. Further, during 1935, 2,565
children attended the child welfare clinics. The total number of children who were
under supervision was therefore 4,235. This leaves a balance of 1,423 children
between the ages of one and five years who are presumably not having any supervision.
It is desirable that any scheme which is suggested should permit of the visiting of each
of these children three times per year.