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of the Health Visitors has been more than appreciated both by the
Department and by the mothers concerned.
The Council concurred with the suggestion of the Ministry that
a promising line of attack would be co-operation with existing moral
welfare associations in this important work and accordingly made
arrangements with the governing body of the Sutton District Girls'
Aid Society. For an annual grant the Society have been able to
increase the facilities they could offer as far as this Borough is concerned
and the most cordial relations have existed between the officers
of the Corporation and this voluntary society.
Office accommodation has been found in Wallington for the fulltime
welfare worker of the Society and she is now able to devote
three half-days a week of her time to the needs of Wallington residents.
The Moral Welfare Society began this work in Wallington
towards the end of June, and between then and the end of the year
their welfare worker had been in contact with 13 such cases and had
made 69 visits to them or on their behalf.
The total illegitimate live and still births for the Borough during
the year numbered 20.
WAR-TIME DAY NURSERY.
The 50-place War-time Day Nursery, which was opened in April,
1943, continued during 1944 to fulfil its important role as an integral
part of the Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Services and there
is no doubt that a large number of mothers, freed from anxiety
regarding the welfare of their children, were thus enabled to take up
factory work in furtherance of the war effort.
Situated at Spencer Road, Hackbridge, the pre-fabricated building
was specially designed for the purpose and the children are excellently
cared for in light, airy surroundings. Medical inspections are held
at regular intervals and active publicity measures taken in connection
with diphtheria immunisation resulted in a considerable number
of parents taking advantage of the facilities offered for their children's
well-being.
As will be seen from the following table, attendances during the
year under review fluctuated considerably for various reasons. Sharp
attacks of mumps and whooping cough in the early months of the year
were reflected in the attendance figures and in June the flying-bomb
attacks heralding a period of intense enemy air activity caused an
immediate fall in the number of children attending the Nursery.
Evacuation facilities in July and August caused further attendance
drops when mothers and children took advantage of the opportunity
for removing to safer areas.
An improvement was noticed towards the end of the year when,
in spite of the menace of the long-range rocket attacks, children were
returning slowly but steadily.
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