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57
borough councils to other child-welfare associations in their boroughs. The money
for these grants is contained in block grants payable by the Ministry of Health to the
councils concerned.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Contributions (London) Schemes, 1930 and
1932, made by the Minister, covered the grant period which expired on 31st March,
1933. During the year 1933, the authorities of three mother and baby homes named
in the above schemes decided to discontinue their work because the continuance of
the homes was not justified by the number of applicants, or for financial reasons.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Contributions (London) Scheme, 1933, for
the four years from 1st April, 1933 to 31st March, 1937, came into operation on 1st
April, 1933. The Scheme (1933) provides for payment by the Council of grants
amounting to £31,177 in each of the financial years 1933-34, 1934-35, 1935-36,
1936-37, to fifty voluntary associations, including two baby homes which did not
participate in previous schemes. The grants are payable on the conditions (inter
alia):—
(i) That the Council is satisfied as to the efficiency of the maternity and
child-welfare service provided by the association in respect of which the contribution
is payable, and that such service is being used by a reasonable number
of those persons for whom it is provided ;
(ii) That no reduction or alteration of such service is made without the
consent of the Council.
It is necessary therefore that these associations should be inspected from time to
time by the Council's officers. This work is performed by the medical staff engaged
on work under the Nursing Homes Registration Act, while occasionally it also involves
the employment of a sanitary inspector, who is detailed by the chief inspector from
amongst his staff.
Children Act,
1908, Part 1.
—Transfer
of powers to
metropolitan
borough
councils.
In the Annual Report for 1932 (Vol. III, Part I, page 46) reference is made to
the amendments of Part 1 of the Children Act, 1908 (Infant Life Protection) which
are contained in the Children and Young Persons Act, 1932, and which came into
force on 1st January, 1933.
By the Transfer of Powers (London) Order, 1933, the Minister of Health transferred
the functions of the "local authority" under Part I of the Children Act, 1908,
as amended, from the Council to the metropolitan borough councils ; the appointed
day of the transfer of the functions was 1st April, 1933.
At the end of March, 1933, there were 2,374 nurse-children kept in 1,576 homes
compared with 2,152 and 1,541 respectively at the end of 1932.
The following statement relates to the period 1st January to 31st March, 1933—
4 nurse-infants died ; there were 2 inquests (no blame attached to foster-mothers);
and there were 3 prosecutions for failure to notify reception of nurse-infant. No
order was made for removal of a nurse-infant to a place of safety.
Adoption of
Children Act,
1926.
Applications (under the Adoption of Children Act, 1926) by foster-parents to
adopt notified nurse-infants numbered 13. The Courts granted 11 adoption orders,
and adjourned 1 application sine die; 1 application was withdrawn.
The Council acts as guardian ad litem of children who are the subjects of applications
for adoption orders in London and continues to deal with those applications
which concern foster-children who are now under the supervision of the metropolitan
borough councils. As from 1st April, 1933, however, the responsibility for
this work has been transferred to the education officer.
Examination of Staff.

* 1,255 of these were dealt with in the first instance by telephone and correspondence.