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CHILDREN'S SERVICE
General
The Children's Service came into being as a result of the Children
Act, 1948, which made it the duty of County and County Borough Councils,
(and subsequently the London Borough Councils), to receive into their care
any child in their areas under the age of 17 years whose parents or
guardians were temporarily or permanently prevented from providing properly
for him. The Act went on to require that an Authority having received
a child into its care, had to exercise its powers so as to further his
best interests and afford him opportunity for the proper development of
his character. Other legislation provided that children could be committed
to the care of the Authority by the Courts, either where children had
been found guilty of offences, or where offences had been committed against
them.
On 31st December, 1970, 689 children were in the care of the London
Borough of Hammersmith. During the year some 2,000 applications had been
made to the Children's Officer for children to be received into care; and
the fact that a relatively small proportion had been received into care
was a tribute to the quality and quantity of the work of the staff of the
Children's Service. It also highlights the preventive work done by the
staff of the Department under Section 1 of the Children & Young Persons
Act, 1963. This Section makes it mandatory for Local Authorities to provide
such advice, guidance, and assistance as may promote the welfare of children
by diminishing the need for them to come into, or remain in, care; or to
appear before a Juvenile Court; and the work done under this Section has
provided a steadily increasing part of the work of the Children's Service.
The Borough Children's Service during 1970 suffered considerably from
the loss of qualified and experienced staff and, for a considerable period
in the middle of the year, the situation was such that the amount of preventive
work which could be done was minimal. However, it was possible to
obtain new staff, and although the proportion of qualified staff was lower
at the end of the year than at the beginning, qualified recruits were by
then coming forward and, with their colleagues, taking part in the reorganisation
of the Social Work Services of the Council.
Under the Local Authority Social Services Act, 1970, the Council was
required to set up by 1st April, 1971, a Social Services Department, which
would undertake the work of the former Children's, Welfare, and Mental
Health Services. In Hammersmith, Area Social Work Teams, (incorporating
the social work staff of these disciplines), were in being early in 1970.
The Children's Service functions were being carried out not only by Child
Care Officers but increasingly as the year progressed by Social Workers
from other disciplines, who were gradually broadening their horizons. In
the same way, the Child Care Officers were, as case loads permitted and
their own experience and knowledge allowed, expanding their work into
the Welfare and Mental Health spheres. The growth of team spirit within the
Area Teams, and the breakdown of the former barriers between the disciplines,
has been one of the most encouraging aspects of the year 1970.
Medical Arrangements
(a) Before a child is boarded-out a full medical examination is
undertaken, and the report is submitted to the Medical Officer of Health
for approval that the child is fit to be boarded-out under the Regulations.
(b) During the boarding ou,t, a child must be examined by a dulyqualified
medical practitioner:
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