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care of foster children curing the previous year and the already appointed
a full time woman officer to undertakes Child Life Protection work formerly
undertaken by the Council's Health Visitors This officer is exclusively
engaged upon duties connected with the investigation and the registration of
foster mothers, the supervision and the care of foster children, involving the
regular and frequent visits to foster parents, and advising them on the care
of the children under their control.
It is gratifying to note that the standard of child core among registered
fester mothers in the are . has appreciably improved. Every effort is being
made to increase the number of suitable foster mothers in order that any
children waiting homes may he satisfactorily and permanently settled. It is
to be regretted, however, that at present suitable foster mothers .re not
coming forward.
♦
Eighteen foster mothers -ere accepted for registration by the City Council
during the year find fifteen relinquished the care of children for a variety of
reasons, e.g. removal of fester mother to another area; foster mothers who were
prepared only to undertake the core of children temporarily; addition to the
foster mother's own family; return of husband from H.M. Forces. In a few cases
the natural grants were requested to remove their children from unsatisfactory
foster mothers and the latter warned net to assume the care of other foster
children. In one ens.;, one child had to bo transferred to the care of the
London County Council Social welfare Service because the natural mother failed
to maintain payments to the foster mother and could not be traced. One child
died whilst in the care of a foster mother and in conformity with the provisions
of the statute an inquest was held by H.M. Coroner who found the cause of death
to be natural caUse3.
At the end of the year covered by this lie port, there were sixteen foster
mothers on the City Council's register, having in their care eighteen .foster
children. '
During the year forty notifications were received from local authorities
in other areas of Coster children being returned to their natural parents
residing in Westminister these, include children .returned from residential
nurseries and schools. This information was verified in each case and the
local Authority concerned advised accordingly.
Regular visits have been made, and environmental reports prepared and sent
to the recognised adoption societies on application made to those Section by
persons residing in Westminster desiring legally to adopt children. Where
children, are placed with prospective addopting parents for a probationary period
they are kept under supervision by the Child Protection Visitor until adoption
has been effected. Twenty five cases of this nature have been dealt with
during the year.
SUPPLY OF SHEETS FOR EXCEPTANT MOTHERS
By arrangement between the Ministry of Health an. the BoarT of Trade,
Priority Dockets for utility sheets, on production of a medical certificate,
are issued to expectant Mother who are to be confined, in their own homes. These
are being issued through the Maternity and Child . Welfare Controls and 759 dockets
were issued to expectant mothers in 194-6 as compared with 344 for the previous
year.
SUPPLY OF THE WELFARE FOODS
By arrangement with the Ministry of Food, national driof milk, fruit
juices, vitamin tablets and cod livor oil have been distributed to expectant
mothers and children at the Maternity and Child Welfare Contras in the City,
The City Council as a Welfare Authority have for many years sullied food
accessories in the way of dried milk, cod liver oil., etc. to necessitous
mothers and. children, and have continued to d.c so under the direction of the
Clinic doctors.