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of life, and another 8 died before reaching the age of one month. These
16 children died in hospital.
(These figures do not include infants born to Westminster mothers
outside the City. The Ministry of Health require these to be returned
by the local authority in whose area the birth took place.)
Care of Illegitimate Children.
The voluntary organisations who have for so many years dealt with
this problem in the City have continued to do so, and have worked in
close association with the Council's Health Visitors and Child Protection
Visitor. The City Council in co-operation with the other London Borough
Councils, makes an annual contribution based on rateable value, to these
voluntary organisations, the Council's contribution for 1947 being £972.
The Council has a Scheme of Guaranteed Payments to Foster Mothers
who are prepared to undertake the care and maintenance of illegitimate
children in the City. Under the Scheme, the Council pays the foster
mother 21s. per week in respect of each child maintained, and recovers
reasonable contributions from the mother. The latter is also required
to provide clothing for her child and pay for any necessary doctor's fees
for attendance on the child. Although no suitable foster mothers have
been found willing to undertake service under this Scheme during the
year, some 18 illegitimate children were being cared for at one time or
another during the year by foster mothers in the City under arrangements
made direct between the natural mother and the foster parent,
and where the weekly payment ranged from 30s. to £3 per week.
A number of illegitimate children are also cared for in the City Council's
Day Nurseries, enabling the natural mother to go out to work during
the day to earn sufficient to keep herself and her child, in the great
majority of cases this being the mother's only source of income. This
arrangement has the advantage of the mother having the child in her
care at night and at week ends, thus maintaining her interest and affection
for the child.
Child Life Protection.
The Council is responsible for the supervision of children under nine
years of age whose care and maintenance is undertaken for reward by
persons other than their natural parents. This work is carried out by a'
whole-time Child Protection Visitor who pays regular visits to the homes
where the foster children reside.
The Child Protection Visitor has also carried out a systematic search
for suitable foster mothers in the City willing to undertake, the care of
illegitimate children under the Council's guaranteed Payment Scheme.
Number of foster mothers at the end of the year 16
Number of foster mothers who relinquished the care of
children during the year 16
Number of children in the care of foster mothers at the end
of the year 16
Number of children in the care of foster mothers during the
year 21
Number of children returned to their natural parents in
Westminster from foster mothers in other areas 116