Canada. Child and Maternal Health Division : Under the control of the Department of Pensions and National Health, the Division of Child Welfare was established in 1920, to further the public's knowledge of pre-natal and child care. This Division was abolished in 1933 and the activities were taken over by the Canadian Council on Child and Family Welfare. This Council apparently reported directly to the Chief Executive Assistant of the Deputy Minister but there is no coverage of the council's activities in the Annual Reports from 1934 to 1936. In October 1937, it was re-established under the title of Child and Maternal Hygiene. At this time, a Scientific Advisory Committee was also set up under the control of the Child and Maternal Hygiene Division to confer with and advise on maternal welfare matters. A Sub-committee on Maternal Welfare of the Dominion Council of Health was also brought into force. These two committees were given responsibility to determine ways of lowering the child and maternal mortality rate in Canada.
The duties of the Child and Maternal Hygiene Division included furthering the public's education in pre-natal care and enforcing higher standards of obstetrical practices.
In 1945 the name was again changed to Child and Maternal Health Division. In 1969, the Directorate of Child and Adult Health Services was established to govern the Child and Maternal Health, Nutrition, Dental Health, Mental Health, Health Education and Smoking and Health Division.