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(4.) Hostels for Mothers.—There is a need for hostels for mothers in connection
with the day nurseries, both for unmarried mothers who have just
completed their lying-in and have to make their plans for facing the world,
and for mothers who, while they have to leave their children when they are at
work during the day, are able to join them again in the evening, and yet have
no home to go to. A properly managed hostel would doubtless help many
such mothers to retrieve their characters by shielding them from the dangers
presented by a return to the conditions under which they have fallen.
The committee of three day nurseries indicate that they are not able to
undertake the establishment of a hostel, but that of the Margaret Day Nursery,
Ampthill Square, are anxious to see one started in connection with their
institution. Certain ladies of the committee would be willing to help if
financial assistance were forthcoming. A hostel for 12 mothers and their babies
would probably cost nearly £1,000 a year apart from the initial cost of
equipping (say £500). I suggest that the committee of the Margaret Day
Nursery be approached in the matter.
(5.) Payments to Mothers.—In regard to payment by the Council of direct
money grants to mothers of the classes under consideration who, but for lack of
means, could keep their children at home, this in suitable cases would
probably be a more economical way of dealing with the matter than by the
use of institutions. If approved by the Ministry it would seem simple in the
case of unmarried mothers to whom the Guardians, as I understand, are precluded
from granting out-relief in money. But in the case of widows the
Guardians already give out-relief in respect both of the women and their
children, the number of children under five for whom such grants are made
being 61 at present time. This opens up the question whether this particular
form of relief should be dealt with by the Council instead of the Guardians.
It would certainly be undesirable if unmarried mothers received assistance from
the Council without recourse to the Poor Law that widows should still be
compelled to seek relief through that channel. Subject to some method of
assessment such as that indicated later in this report, I should be prepared
to recommend that both classes be dealt with alike by the Borough Council.
The approval of the Ministry of Health would, of course, first have to
be obtained, and presumably widows needing relief, though having no children,
would still remain in the care of the Guardians and not of the Council.
The financial basis on which such grants should be made would remain
the subject of later consideration.
The fathers of motherless children often find very serious difficulty in
getting them properly cared for, and any scheme which the Council
adopted on the foregoing lines would no doubt be found useful in dealing
with these difficult cases.
I have recommended that the Council should assume the responsibilities
indicated in the preceding part of this report, being persuaded that the
work is to be regarded as an essential part of Maternity and Child Welfare.
It would be in harmony with the policy of concentrating in the hands of
a single local authority all matters which directly affect the Public Health.