The Home for Sick Infants, Paddington, was established under the Infant Protection Act 1904. It was one of a number of homes the State Children's Relief Board established to keep unmarried mothers and babies together and to care for vulnerable babies. It aimed to provide the benefits of breastfeeding and closeness to the babies in its care.
Mothers stayed between four and 12 months, while babies stayed three to ten months. An infant mortality rate of 17% was recorded, although babies with their mothers were noted to be considerably more likely to survive. The Home was under the supervision of a visiting medical officer, Dr Barkas.
By 1912 the Home was overcrowded. The Matron was Nurse Frost. The operation moved to what the State Children's Relief Board referred to as 'the Receiving House at Randwick Asylum' in 1913. This was possibly Hillside.
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Last updated:
26 July 2023
Cite this: http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nsw/NE01166
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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