View report page

yond the control of their parents). Suitable arrangements are then made between the Departments
for their welfare to be safeguarded, bearing in mind the new duty to offer advice, guidance and
assistance if it would diminish the need to bring them before the Court. Any worker in a voluntary
organisation, or member of the public, who has reason to believe that a child is in need of
care, protection or control should get in touch with the Children's Officer without delay.
Children beyond Control
The Children's Officer is responsible for investigating the circumstances of all children
alleged to be beyond control of their parents, arranges for voluntary advice, guidance, assistance
and supervision in suitable instances and, if necessary, for the children to be brought before
the Juvenile Court.
Senior Child Care Officer
This Officer has responsibility for a group of Child Care Officers, acts as casework consultant
to them, and also undertakes certain organising and day-to-day administrative duties.
Child Care Officer
This Officer is a case worker with a wide range of duties to promote the welfare of the
children who are on his or her personal case load, and deals with applications for children to be
received into care.
If children are received into care, or committed to the Council's care by a Court, he deals
with their treatment, placing and supervision wherever they may be, and takes personal responsibility
for their welfare and happiness; maintains regular contact with the children's own families
while the children are in care; finds suitable foster parents for the children; makes boardingout
placings and carries out supervision. Duties also include the finding of lodgings and hostels
for older children in the Council's care and their supervision there and at work; and also the
befriending of children over compulsory school age who have been, but are no longer, in the care
of a local authority or a voluntary organisation. He also befriends children in approved schools
who were formerly in care, supervises the welfare of all children placed for adoption, and foster
children placed for reward in private homes. He makes statutory enquiries about the welfare of
children thought to be neglected or ill-treated, advises parents who allege that their children
are beyond control, and undertakes voluntary supervision if appropriate. When necessary he
arranges for children to be brought before the Juvenile Court, and also supervises some approved
school children who have been, or are to be, released on supervision.
An important feature of the work of the Child Care Officer is case work under Section I,
Children and Young Persons Act, 1963, aimed at diminishing, by the provision of advice, guidance
and assistance, the need for children to come into care or to appear before the Juvenile
Court, including children alleged to be beyond parental control. The Child Care Officer is able,
in suitable cases, to recommend the giving assistance in kind, or exceptionally, in cash. If there
is no alternative to the child's coming into care then work is done with his family with the
object of restoring him to his home as soon as this is in his best interests.
Placing of Children
In general the needs of children in care are met by placing them with specially selected
foster parents, some of whom are in the Borough, but many are scattered in adjoining Boroughs.
There is a continuing need for foster parents as this method of placement, in most cases, provides
the best substitute for home life. Other children are placed either in Residential Homes
some of which are owned by the Borough, or in others where there are arrangements for sharing
residential accomodation, whilst a final group are fostered in private and voluntary homes. The
establishments owned by the Council include 6 small family homes in Buckinghamshire, a nursery
for 24 children in Portsmouth, two homes in Wandsworth, and one for adolescent boys in
Isleworth. In addition, the Council is responsible for the administration of Stamford House, the
largest Boys' Remand Home and Classifying Centre in the country.
(67)