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10
Both parents were living together in 48 cases and the mother was able to stay at home to look after
the child. Where both parents were living together, 4 mothers had husbands living, 1 father had wife living,
6 were awaiting a divorce, 2 have married since birth of infant, and no information was available for 35.
Nineteen infants were in the care of a relative and 13 in a day nursery, the 32 mothers going out to
work. In general the infants were fairly well cared for, but 9 were admitted to a residential nursery, 5 were
adopted and 1 was in the care of a foster mother; 9 died and 1 infant was stillborn.
The following are examples of unsatisfactory homes
The family with two other legitimate children, whose father is in prison, live in a poor and overcrowded
home. The baby was adopted later.
Parents living together with another illegitimate child in a poor home of only one furnished room.
This family frequently changes its address.
There are 5 other illegitimate children in the family living in a very poor home. The family is under
constant supervision by both the health visitor and the N.S.P.C.C.
The mother, a deserted wife, is living with the father of the child, and two other legitimate children
in a very poor basement home. The father is out of work. The baby developed whooping cough and died.
The mother, a deserted wife, has two other legitimate children, and is not living with the father
of the child. She left the illegitimate baby in a cinema. The baby is now in a residential nursery.
An unknown male child died when 7 days old in the Children's Home, Barretts Green Road.
Problem families, such as those described above, present the most difficulties.

Clearly, better ante-natal care might have prevented the deaths from prematurity, and better infant
care could have saved the life of the baby who died from whooping cough.