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(iii) Institutional Treatment for Mothers and Children.
(a) There is no provision in the Borough for institutional
treatment for mothers and children, provided by the
Corporation, but private arrangements exist for the reception
of expectant unmarried mothers at the Kingston Deanery Home
for Friendless Girls, 18, Richmond Park Road. The home is
administered by a voluntary body, the Kingston Deanery Moral
Welfare Committee, affiliated to the Southwark Diocesan
Association for moral welfare. There are nineteen beds,
admission is not confined to Kingston residents, but is
extended to girls residing anywhere in, or occasionally
beyond, the Southwark diocese. The expectant mothers enter
the home about two months before confinement, which takes place
at Kingston County Hospital, and it is a condition of their
acceptance that they stay for at least two months after confinement,
at the end of which period efforts are made to secure
them suitable employment. The girls are given training in
mothe rcraft, care of the home, light laundry, etc. A social
welfare worker keeps in touch with the girls after they leave
the home. There is a permanent staff consisting of Matron,
S.C.M. Nurse, House Matron and a cook.
The following table shows the numbers of admissions
to the home during the past five years:-
1943-59
1944-32 X
1945-50
1946-58
1947-44
* The home was closed from mid-June, 1944, until 1st
October, 1944, during the flying bomb attacks. as
many of the cases as possible were sent home; others
were evacuated under the Government Evacuation Scheme.
This accounts for the low numbers of admissions to the
home during 1944.
DAY NURSERIES.
(b) On 1st January, 1947, there were four day
nurseries in the Borough, three of which were administered by
the local authority, with the approval of the Ministry of
Health. The remaining nursery operated under private direction
but received a grant from the Corporation of Is. per day, per
attendance, part of which is recoverable from the Ministry of
Health.
At Surrey Villa Day Nursery the upper age limit is
still three years. The remaining nurseries, Canbury Park and
Kilnwood, admit children whose ages ran&e from 1 month to
five yearso