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64
Protection Visitors, and reports thereon have been regularly submitted
to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee. In special
cases, visits have been paid personally, either by myself or the
Assistant Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Chalke.
It is unfortunate that the number of suitable foster-mothers in
this Borough is so limited. During the six months, July—December,
25 applications for placing foster-children (i.e., an average of 50 per
annum) were referred to other Authorities as we had no vacancies.
All foster-mothers are required to conform to a good standard,
and to bring their foster-children to an Infant Welfare Centre. The
standard that is required to be attained is indicated in the Annual
Report for 1933 of the Chief Officer of the Ministry of Health, in
which he states "The Health Visitor must weigh up the advantages
and demerits of the circumstances of each applicant for registration
as foster-mother and her relative freedom from onerous personal ties.
The Visitor must consider the age, state of health and temperament of
the mother, her domestic circumstances and setting, the age and sex of
the other inhabitants of the household, the cleanliness and reasonable
comfort of the home, the dietary, the sleeping arrangements, the
opportunities for play and the whole standard of life of the household.
The observation, advice and direction of the Health Visitors are
required to include all that relates to the health and well-being of the
child."
In this connection one applicant was refused permission to act as
a foster-mother, owing to unsatisfactory home conditions and accommodation.
It was not found necessary for any legal proceedings to be taken
during the year, but pressure was brought to bear on one foster-mother,
owing to her disinclination to carry out her obligations regarding
notifications, and because of other important delinquencies; the child
was removed from her care by the mother. The foster-mother's name
was deleted from the official list, and she was thereby precluded from
taking further foster-children.
It is interesting to note that one foster-mother legally adopted the
child who had already been in her care for two years.