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23
of infectious disease inseparable from the bringing together of
comparatively large numbers of infants and young persons under
institutional conditions.
With some temerity, two observations are offered. Firstly,
the children themselves do not appear to be willing or capable to
give to each other, and in the case of adolescents to the community,
as much as they are prepared to receive. And secondly, in the
last twenty years the old type of warm-hearted foster mother and
charge nurse, brimful of genuine love for, and infinite patience with
her children, has passed away, to be replaced by efficient, punctilious
women with not such marked vocational aptitude, but who
nevertheless make excellent institution staff. For these reasons
also it is possible that the impending dissolution of the large
Children's Homes may be a wise move.
Oil an average about five hundred children have been in
residence in Aldersbrook and the Scattered Homes, of whom
eighty to ninety are chargeable to East Ham. About eighteen
children are admitted each week with approximately the same
number discharged.
It might fairly be stated that in spite of the change of
ministerial policy, the Aldersbrook Homes remain a model of
institutional grouping of its kind, for the welfare of each child in
it, is the intimate concern of the capable staff and the controlling
Children's Committee.
Blind Persons Acts, 1920-1938.
On 5/7/48, the functions relating to blind persons were
transferred to the Welfare Committee.
The statistics given below refer to the period ending on
4/7/48, and relate to the work of the Visitor to the Blind.
No. of daily visits 1,171"|
No. of evening visits 32 1,252
No. of special visits 49
No. of lessons given 188
No. of blind persons on register (on 30/6/48) 218
The services of the Council's Ophthalmic Surgeon were made
available for the certification of cases throughout the year.