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30
Many social work agencies can be involved and they all work in collaboration
with the Medical Social Worker engaged specifically to deal with
such problems and whose services are shared with the London Borough
of Brent.
During 1968 the number of applicants seeking help and advice
dropped to 84 from 107 for the previous year.
This decrease would appear to be general in all areas and is thought
to be due mainly to the more readily available oral contraceptive and new
legislation relating to abortion.
In May 1968 a meeting of all the London Boroughs was called by the
Borough of Camden to discuss the general effect of the drop in applications
for places in mother and baby homes. Two homes run by voluntary
organisations had already closed and it was felt that there might be a need
for others to do likewise, or to offer a different service such as hostel
accommodation for the working mother and her child. The main difficulty
regarding this changeover is the financial cost of converting and maintaining
an establishment of this kind. Nevertheless it was hoped that
some move could be made in this direction as the need was great.
The 84 applications received are accounted for in the following way:—
Admitted to mother and baby homes 41
Kept baby 19
Cancelled application, moved away 13
Fostered from hospital pending adoption 6
Mother arranged private adoption 3
Received into care 1
Stillbirth 1
Day Nurseries
There are two day nurseries in the Borough providing accommodation
for 110 children aged 0-5 years for whom nursery provision is required
on health grounds.
These nurseries are at:—
(a) Headstone Drive, Wealdstone 50 places
(b) Walton Avenue, South Harrow 60 places
Demand for places is high and admission is determined by a system
of priorities. In certain cases where it is considered attendance at a day
nursery would be beneficial to progress, certain handicapped children are
admitted without charge. The present categories are deaf, partially deaf,
children of deaf and dumb parents where talking environment is desirable,
children showing behaviour problems, and suitable physically handicapped
children.