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interest in the project by the mothers of the
babies concerned
Phenylketonuria
Screening for phenylketonuria is undertaken
by the Guthrie blood test and is normally
conducted by midwives in hospital or
domiciliary practice during the first 14 days
of a baby's life or it may be done by health
visitors Two children were found to be
positive to the test during the year
Care of the unsupported mother and her child
The work of caring for unsupported mothers
in the borough is shared between the medical
social workers based on the health department
of the London Borough of Ealing and those
of Hounslow and District Welcare Association
153 new cases were dealt with by Welcare
in 1970 and 10 by Ealing
As in 1969 considerably more mothers
kept their babies than those who offered them
for adoption The corollary of which is that
more after care work needs to be undertaken
as the majority then face considerable problems
as well as being subject to great mental and
physical strain Accommodation and relative
isolation present constant problems particularly
during the first two years and to help combat
this Welcare have now instituted group meetings
for these mothers once a month These meetings
have not only provided opportunities for
companionship and discussion and for the
children to play together but also an informal
atmosphere which enables social workers to
obtain a deeper understanding of the individual
needs and problems of the mothers and the
children The size and complexity of the
problems require constant attention
A high illegitimacy rate is symptomatic of
of a troubled society and one in which
education in its fullest meaning needs to be
more positive which among other things will
help to reduce illegitimacy No matter how
effective the after-care services they still
fall far short of the love aid security to be
found in a stable happy home with the
influence of a father
During the year the borough, subject to
the usual assessment procedure accepted
financial responsibility for 20 mothers placed
in mother and baby homes
Day Nurseries
The three day nurseries in the borough provide
136 places - 50 children at Danesbury Road
Feltham 32 at Portsdown House Brentford
and 54 at Nantly House Hounslow
During the first five months of the year
the three nurseries cared for their usual
complement of children but in June part of
Nantiy House was demolished to enable a
start to be made on building a new nursery
which reduced the places to 44 and restricted
the children s outdoor play area Fortunately
the magnificent garden which the children
have enjoyed greatly over the years has
enabled enough ground to be allocated for the
new building without closing the nursery The
land remaining will be attractively landscaped
and provide a setting for outdoor play
Good progress has been made but it will
be the autumn of next year before the nursery
is finished and ready for the admission of 56
children qualifying for admission under the
current priority arrangements In addition there
will be accommodation for nine severely
handicapped young children for whom a special
unit has been designed including facilities
for physiotherapy To a certain extent the
smaller number of places for priority children
in Nantly House since June has been offset
by the placement of some children with
registered child-minders or nurseries with a
high standard of care Charges for these
services are determined by individual childminders
or supervisors of day nurseries and
parents are assessed according to their means
by the borough treasurer who applies the same
scales as those made for placement to the
local authority s day nurseries Other children
requiring less than a full day's care and
stimulation, have with the co-operation of
the borough education officer been placed in
nursery schools or classes in the borough
Despite these measures some needs of
the under fives are still unmet or at best
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