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9
the home help is employed in the majority of maternity cases for two weeks, in
many of the cases of illness, particularly in old people, the period of employment
is of much longer duration.
War-time Day Nurseries. The three remaining nurseries were closed on
the 5th April. The prefabricated buildings (including furniture and equipment)
at Woolwich Common and Dahlia Road, Abbey Wood, were taken over by the
London County Council as nursery schools. The County Council agreed that all
day nursery children of 2 years of age and over could continue to attend the
nursery schools.
A Daily Guardian Service (see next paragraph) was immediately instituted
to make provision for any children under 2 years displaced from the nurseries and
other special cases.
Daily Guardians. As nursery schools provide no accommodation for
children under the age of two, the Council in April inaugurated a daily guardian
scheme in order to provide for such children of mothers who, from necessity, found
it essential to work. Under the scheme, which received the approval of the
Ministry of Health, the mother made her own arrangements with the daily guardian,
but 6s. Od. per week of the amount required by the daily guardian was guaranteed
by the Council. During the year 35 daily guardians were registered and 24
remained on the register at the end of the year. The number of children cared for
by these guardians during the year was 24, and at the end of the year there were
8 on the register.
Care of Illegitimate Children. The only direct provision for the care of
illegitimate infants is provided by a scheme for guaranteed payments to foster
mothers undertaking the care of such infants. The Council, however, makes a
contribution to a fund administered by the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint
Committee to provide financial assistance to Moral Welfare Associations. Welfare
work in this connection is carried out by each health visitor in her own area, but
there is close contact between the health visitors and the welfare workers of the
Moral Welfare Associations working in the Borough. No applications were received
during the year for assistance under the " guaranteed payments " scheme.
Convalescence for Children under Five. The Council makes an annual
grant to the Invalid Children's Aid Association in respect of children under five
years of age recommended for convalescence. During the year, 74 children were
sent to convalescent homes.
Clinic for Physical Medicine. The attendances at this clinic totalled
11,188, compared with 12,249 in 1946.
Professional Nursing in the Home. The provision of nursing assistance
in the homes of patients suffering from certain infectious diseases, by arrangement
with the local nursing associations as described in previous Annual Reports, was
continued. The total number of visits paid by nurses on behalf of the Council
was 1,474. An additional grant of £100 was made to the nursing associations for
the nursing of children under the age of five years for non-infectious conditions,