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THE WORK OF CHILD WELFARE CENTRES
The work of child welfare centres consists of supervision
of the development of normal young children and those ascertained
as "at risk", early detection of abnormalities of development} provision
of facilities for immunisation and vaccination against infectious
disease; giving advice concerning the feeding and management of children
and the measures necessary for the promotion of family health.
The nature and content of this work has changed very considerably since
its inception. The emphasis is now directed away from the detection and
treatment of the gross defects found in former years towards the more
subtle problems of developmental abnormality and family relationships.
Advice concerning behaviour problems now forms a very considerable
part of the work carried out by medical officers and health visitors
in their consultation clinics, work demanding very different skills
to those formerly necessary.
The demand for this service and the esteem in which it is
held by mothers is illustrated by the continuing high attendance figures
of children under the age of five years :-
Stonecot Hill Clinic 6585
Priory Crescent 6030
Worcester Park (Village Hall) 3103
Cheam (Village Hall) 3245
Robin Hood Lane 12507
Belmont (Village Hall) 1037
Alexandra Gardens 2327
The Mount 1301
Green Wrythe Lane 4673
Rochester Road 6002
Shotfield 4315
Beddington 1294
New Road 1400
During the year special toddlers clinics have been held in all
the main clinics where children are seen by appointment annually for
assessment of their physical and mental development and where more time
can be devoted to mothers who have problems than is possible at the
general clinic sessions. It is intended to make available facilities for
an annual examination of this kind for all pre-school children as soon as
possible. Special sessions are arranged for immunisation and vaccination
of children where the numbers attending justify separation from general
infant welfare sessions.
At 31st December, 1966, 6 purpose-built clinics and 2 adapted
buildings were in use for ante-natal and post-natal clinics, mothercraft
and relaxation classes and child welfare centres including toddlers'
clinics and immunisation. In addition, 5 church and other types of hall
were occupied on a sessional basis for child welfare clinics and
immunisation.
The sessional use of one adapted building was discontinued during
the year at 38 The Mount, Clockhouse Farm Estate, Carshalton and was replaced
by a new purpose-built clinic in the same area.
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