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69
Before considering the question of the division of responsibility in the
matter between the Borough Council, who are the authority for promoting
measures for Maternity and Child Welfare, and the Guardians, who are the
authority for relieving destitution, I propose to indicate certain lines on which
the children (other than sick children) of widowed, deserted and unmarried
mothers might be dealt with. I am of the opinion that the view expressed in
the Local Government Board's circular (mentioned above) that the mother
and child should wherever possible be kept together, is important. The
preservation and exercise of the maternal affection should be aimed at for the
future welfare and happiness both of the mother and child. There are some
cases where the occupation or character of the mother make it necessary that
they should be kept apart, and in the majority of cases the mother will have
to leave the child by day. But wherever possible mother and child should
live together. It should be possible to meet nearly all cases by one or more
of the following measures:—
(1) The maintenance of the child in a Home (such as the Guardians' at
Leavesden), where the mother and child must be parted.
(2) Entrusting the child to a foster-mother, approved and subject to
supervision, the mother living in the same house or elsewhere.
(3) The provision of a day-nursery, where the child would be cared for
by day, while the mother was at work, the child being taken home
by the mother every evening or dealt with as indicated under (4).
(4) The provision of a hostel for mothers where they can be sent after
the lying-in, the babies being cared for in a day-nursery on or near
the premises while the mother is at work, and by the mother in
the hostel at night and other times.
(5) The making of a money allowance to those mothers who are able to
keep their children satisfactorily at home, but whose earnings are
insufficient to do so without assistance.
Tke adoption of the child by persons who desire to take sole responsibility
for it would also, of course, solve the difficulty in certain cases.
A certain amount of provision is already made in St. Pancras by nearly
all the methods, and I propose now to consider how a complete scheme could
be developed by the Borough Council.
(1.) Children's Homes.—The Guardians already have accommodation at
their institution at Leavesden, near Watford, for infants and children of all
ages, and it should be unnecessary for the Borough Council themselves to
provide an institution. It would probably be better for an arrangement to
be made whereby the Council would pay the Guardians for the maintenance of
children referred to Leavesden by the Council. The extension of the arrangement
to other authorities and bodies, providing suitable homes or the direct
provision of homes by the Council would be a matter for future consideration.
The Leavesden Institution would only be suitable in cases where there was no
occasion for the mother to visit the child frequently.
(2.) Foster-mothers.—The difficulty of finding suitable foster-mothers is
probably due to the fact the the mothers are unable to make a sufficient