View report page

The increase in the number of attendances at the various clinics (and which has
also been apparent at the school minor ailment clinics) is a most satisfactory piece of evidence
that the new method of combining health visitors and school nurses is a good one.
Special work in child life protection in connection with the adoption of children
is carried out by the Senior Health Visitor as Child Life Protection Officer. The special
moral welfare work is carried out by a health visitor, who was appointed to deal with this
work in addition to her normal health-visiting duties.
Child Life Protection.
The Senior Health Visitor is specially appointed to deal with Child Life Protection
work. This work continued during 1945, and consists of visits monthly to foster mothers,
and the inspection of children under their care. Under the Adoption of Children
(Regulation) Act, 1939, the Child Life Protection Officer must now report on, and keep
under observation, all persons who wish to adopt children, and children who are to be
adopted, until such time as legal adoption has been carried out. See Appendix, Table IX
for statistics of this work.
Consultant Aid in Difficult Labour.
A consultant obstetrician for difficult cases of labour is available to medical practitioners
practising in Southall. During the year the consultant was not called in. An
economic circumstance scale is in force and includes the payment of fees in these cases.
Institutional Provision for Unmarried Mothers, Illegitimate Infants and
Homeless Children in the District.
None.
Moral Welfare.
It is the duty of one member of the health visiting staff, who is designated Moral
Welfare Officer, to deal with all cases of unmarried expectant mothers referred from all districts
in Southall, and she endeavours to obtain pre-natal accommodation and hospital and
post-natal accommodation for these mothers.
Arrangements were made in 1944 with the Middlesex County Council for the admission
of cases to the pre-natal home at Golders Green, and to the post-natal home at Hendon,
and these arrangements continued. During the year, 15 cases were dealt with under this
scheme.
The Moral Welfare Officer also assists with the various social problems that arise in
cases of this nature, and every assistance possible is given to unmarried mothers who are
willing to continue to look after their own children.
The proportion of illegitimate live births to legitimate in 1945 was 60 to 750—8%.
Ultra-violet Light Clinics.
Four sessions a week for treatment by ultra-violet light were held during 1945—
two at the Manor House, and two at the Branch Centre. Treatment was given to expectant
mothers and children under five years of age.
Ultra-violet light treatment is especially necessary for young children showing eariy
traces of rickets infection, as the amount of natural sunlight during winter months is so
limited. All patients are weighed at the commencement and finishing of a course of
treatment, and the majority show a distinct gain in weight, improvement in appetite and
general tone.