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The aim of the Children's Service Adoption Agency is to build up a waiting list of
adopters so that wherever possible appropriate children can be placed direct without prior reception
into care.
3. The Children's Sub-Committee:
At the present time when children "In care" are placed with approved adopters they are
initially boarded out as foster-children "With a view to adoption". The length of boarding-out
period varies according to the special circumstances of the placement. When the Child Care
Officer concerned is satisfied with the progress of the child in his new home, a full report and
recommendation for adoption is submitted to the Children's Sub-Committee. Following approval,
the applicants are informed that they can proceed with their application to adopt. From this date
all boarding-out payments cease and the child becomes a "Protected" child.
4. The Mother:
i) Referrals:
Expectant mothers are usually referred by Medical Social Workers and Moral Welfare
Workers. Pregnant schoolgirls are referred by the Children's Worker of the Care Committee.
There are also a number of girls who come to the Child Care Officer of their own
volition.
There is a continuous flow of referrals to this Service as the Borough is blessed with a
large number of maternity beds. Many women come from all parts of the British Isles to
have their babies in London. It is estimated that in Queen Charlotte's Hospital alone
600 illegitimate babies are born every year. Women living outside the Borough are not
normally eligible for help with adoption.
A proportion of the mothers referred are married women who have conceived the babies
outside the marriage.
ii) Procedure
Wherever possible expectant mothers are seen by the Adoptions Officer who either refers
them elsewhere or recommends to the Panel that their case be taken on. Detailed health
and social history is taken and case work with her continues until the baby is born when
the mother may decide to keep the child.
Where expectant mothers wanting adoption for their babies are girls in care or women
already known to the Service, the Child Care Officer concerned continues casework
with them. In all cases the Adoptions Officer sees the mother at least once prior to her
child's placement to tell her at first hand about the adopters.
Some expectant mothers under 17 will be received into care during the period of their
pregnancy and the majority of these young girls go to a Mother and Baby Home for the
last months or weeksof their pregnancy and remain for six weeks after their confinement.
Others under 17 continue to live with their families and receive intensive casework
support during this time.
Most of the older women are able to stay on at their homes or lodgings during pregnancy.
When the baby is born the mother is seen as soon as possible after the confinement and
if she wishes to proceed with adoption, plans are discussed. Some mothers are prepared
to take the baby home for the first six weeks and when suitable adopters are available
the baby is then placed. Before placement it may be necessary to give help with clothing
and in exceptional cases payment in cash under Section 1 of the Children & Young
Persons Act, 1963, to prevent reception into care.
In the majority of cases, however, the mother parts from her baby on her discharge from
hospital.
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