View report page

9
Illegitimate Children.
The Council agreed to the scheme drafted by a joint committee
representing the metropolitan Boroughs and the County Council
and the various moral welfare organisations which cover the entire
metropolitan area. The scheme adopted provides that a sum of
money, depending upon the rateable value, is collected from the
individual borough councils and divided between the moral welfare
organisations. These latter provide and pay an adequate staff of
moral workers and report as may be necessary to individual councils.
In addition the foster mothers of illegitimate children receive a
guaranteed payment from the local authority in which they reside,
which is by arrangement collected from the local authority where
the mother resides if not the same. Mothers are assessed according
to a uniform formula.
As soon as conditions render it possible an extension of hostel
facilities will be carried out by the moral welfare societies with
assistance from the County Council, who are the institutional
authority in London.
Home Helps.
160 (187) applications and home helps provided—cost to Council,
£222 12s. 0d.
Again it is possible to record that there has been no failure in
finding a home help, but the position is becoming increasingly
difficult and the rate of remuneration asked is much higher, up to
£4 for the fortnight, compared with £1 to £1 10s. 0d. for the
fortnight before the war.
Domestic Helps.
The influenza epidemic in December, 1943, gave indications of
causing trouble of major importance. The local recources of the
medical profession were strained unbearably, and arrangements
were in hand to make use of doctors from the armed forces, including
those of the United States. Coupled with the shortage of
doctors was the shortage of domestic staff. Families who could
manage for themselves in ordinary circumstances were faced with
illness and nobody to look after them, to collect rations and so on.
In peace time neighbours would have helped, but neighbours were
themselves often in a like position. The W.V.S. offered to help
provided the doctor certified the need, and a general pooling of
resources from all quarters was being arranged when the outbreak
began to decline rapidly. Deaths in London from influenza, bron-