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48
Part I of the Children Act, 1908, as amended by the Children and
Young Persons Act, 1932, were transferred to the Metropolitan
Borough Councils as from 1st April, 1933.
Foster-mothers are required to give notice to the Borough Council
when receiving for reward children up to the age of nine years, and
the Health Visitors of the Borough Council, who were appointed as
Infant Life Protection Visitors, make the necessary inspection of the
premises where the foster-children are to be kept. The duties of the
Health Visitors when acting as Infant Life Protection Visitors,
include supervising the health and well-being of the children and
giving advice and directions as to the care of their health, nursing,
and maintenance. Special endeavours are made to secure the attendance
of these children at the Infant Welfare Centres.
During the year, one application for permission to take a fosterchild
was refused, owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the home.
The Borough Council is now also the authority for making
application to a Court of Justice for an order directing the removal
of an infant to a place of safety.
In April, 1933, particulars were received from the London County
Council of 88 ex-foster-mothers. The policy adopted has been to
encourage the distribution of the foster-children in the Borough
among as many foster-mothers as possible. For this reason, these
88 "lapsed" foster-mothers were written to, asking if they would
care to have their names re-entered on the current register of fostermothers.
Six replies were received asking for this to be done.
A special effort has been made to procure co-operation between
the London County Council Care Committee and the Borough Council,
and, as a result, an arrangement has been made whereby particulars
of all foster-children reaching the age of nine years are forwarded
to the Care Committee, who keep these children under special observation.
During the year, the name of one child was forwarded to this
Committee.
It is interesting to note that during the year three foster-mothers
have legally adopted the foster-children in their care.