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Svet introduced Tina McLeod, Manger of Children's and Family Services with Warrnambool City Council. Tina is responsible for the WCC 3 & 4 year old Kindergartens, Childcare, Family Day Care, Maternal Child Health, Preschool Field Officer Program, Integrated Family Services, Parenting Programs and a member of the Beyond the Bell Action Group. Tina has a Diploma in Social Science and a Diploma of Mangement, and is Svet's boss. Celebrating 100 Years of Maternal and Child Health. TIna's presentation was the story of Dr Isobella Younger-Ross - a Warrnambool lady who was instrumental in the institution of Maternal and Child Health services in Victoria. Born and educated in Warrnambool. Medical School at Melbourne University, before heading to Glasgow to continue her studies, and went on to study maternal and child health. Married John Ross. Working in a time when female doctors were uncommon. On returning to Australia she was concerned to see the high incidence of infant death. Knew that mothers needed education to prevent these deaths. Opened a clinic in a room at Bundoora Kindergarten and hired Sister Muriel Peck. Spread this model throughout the state through the use of the Better Farming Train. She organised a carriage be added to teach mothers mothercraft. In its first 3 years it had approx 23,000 visits from mothers. The depression caused the stop of the Better Farming Train. A customised baby health centre van was designed to enable the nurses to continue their work. As a mother herself, Isobella returned to Warrnambool and opened the Warrnambool Baby Health Centre at the Town Hall. Opened 3 days a week to offer support and education to mothers. Early 1900s many babies died before they were 1 year old. 74/100 died. By 1954 rates of mortality had dropped considerably. In June 1947 she received an OBE. Isobella Younger-Ross died 2nd April 1956 after a long illness. She was remembered as someone who had made a considerable impact upon the lives of mothers and babies. Her work continues still today through local Infant and maternal health centres. Maternal child health telephone service was run voluntarily by nurses from 1974-1988. Took calls from 6pm-midnight in their own homes. Today the service provides free regular health checks for children up to the age of 6 funded by government. It continues to offer the service under the same guidelines as it did at first. Svet thanked Tina for her speech and presented her with a certificate commemorating her speech and the donation of a Malarial Net on her behalf to PNG. |
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