The powers of County Councils[C] and Sanitary Authorities—i.e., County Borough and Borough Councils, Urban and Rural District Councils—for maternity and infancy work are derived from the following Acts:

1. Public Health Acts, 1875–1907.
2. Midwives Act, 1902.
3. Notification of Births Acts, 1907–1915.[C]
4. The Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915. (This Act will not come into force till after the war.)

The following Maternity and Infancy work (with the exception of the supervision of midwives) may be carried out by special Maternity Sub-Committees (which must include women) of the above authorities:—

Notification of Births.[C]

Every birth has to be notified in every area to the Medical Officer of Health for that area by the father of the child or the medical practitioner or midwife within thirty-six hours of the birth.

Women Sanitary Inspectors and Health Visitors.

Properly trained and qualified women may be appointed to visit the homes and give advice on the care of mothers and infants.

Maternity Centres.

Skilled advice and minor treatment for the preservation of health may be given at Maternity Centres to expectant and nursing mothers and children up to school age.

Supervision of Midwives.

County Councils and County Borough Councils alone carry out the supervision of midwives, through the Medical Officer of Health, who almost invariably has under him a fully qualified woman.

Professional Attendance at Confinements.

A doctor or midwife may be provided to attend necessitous cases. The fee of a doctor called in under the Midwives Act may be paid.

Maternity Hospitals for Complicated Cases and Infant Hospitals.

Hospitals may be maintained or beds paid for in existing hospitals or wards.

Milk Depots.

After the war, depots may be set up by Sanitary Authorities (only) for the sale of milk for infants at cost price. (The Government grant is not available for these depots.)

Government Grants.

Government grants for maternity and child welfare work are now made, and half the cost of the whole or any part of schemes, approved by the Local Government Board, is now paid.

A sum of £50,000 has been voted this year (1915) for England and Wales, and no doubt corresponding sums will be available for Scotland and Ireland.