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Special enquiries are made by male inspectors of the public health department
when there is information or suspicion that the keeping of a nurse infant has not
been reported to the Council. Caution, prosecution, removal of the child to a place
of safety or other appropriate action follows.
Failure to comply with the law requiring notification within 48 hours of the
reception of a child subject to Part I of the Children Act is a punishable offence.
Proceedings were taken against nine foster-mothers during the year for this offence.
In five cases fines were imposed, three cases were dismissed (two with payment of
costs), and one case was bound over.
Newspaper advertisements of (or for) foster-mothers are followed up and there
is extensive and constant co-operation between the Council and maternity and child
welfare authorities in London and other parts of the country, the Metropolitan and
other Police, the N.S.P.C.C., philanthropic societies, hospital almoners and other
associations and persons concerned with matters affecting the welfare of children.
At the end of 1931 there were 1,797 homes under inspection, compared with
1,773 at the end of 1930, the number of nurse-infants therein being 2,601, an increase
of 53 over the number at the end of 1930. Approximately 29,000 visits were made
during the year.
Nurse-infants who are kept under unsatisfactory conditions, which fall within
the purview of section 5 of the Act, may be removed to a place of safety. In London
public assistance institutions are used for this purpose. During 1931 it was necessary
so to remove 4 nurse-infants, compared with 6 in 1930.
The homes where nurse-infants are kept are visited when first notified in order
to ascertain whether the sanitary condition of the premises is satisfactory ; 687 such
reports were made during 1931. In 399 cases the premises were found to be satisfactory
; in 102 homes sanitary defects were discovered, while overcrowding was
found in 95 homes. Overcrowding and sanitary defects combined were found in 23
homes. In 68 cases no action could be taken under the provisions of this Act owing
to the removal of the nurse-infant prior to the visit of the inspector. In addition to
the above, special inquiries were also made in 449 cases with regard to the condition
of the premises, and the necessary action was taken in each case. In the event of
a serious sanitary defect being reported the attention of the local borough council is
drawn thereto, and in some cases it has been found possible by rearrangement of
the accommodation to secure improvement and abate overcrowding. In others it
has not been possible, and the foster parent has been urged to return the child in her
charge to the parent, or to obtain other and more suitable accommodation. If the
foster mother refuses to return the child, appropriate action is taken under section 5
of the Act.
Foster-mothers are advised to attend local infant welfare centres with the
children in their charge. In the event of a nurse-infant being weak or ailing, the
visitor carefully watches the case and sees that the treatment advised is duly carried
out. If doubt exists in the visitor's mind with regard to the progress of the nurseinfant,
one of the Council's medical officers attends and examines the child. During
the year, 26 nurse-infants died, compared with 25 in 1930, and 27 in 1929. In 7
cases inquests were held, the same number as in the previous year: a verdict of
death from " natural causes " was recorded in 2 cases, and in 5 cases from " accidental
causes." In none of these cases was blame attached to the foster-mother.
Adoption of
Children Act,
1926.
The Adoption of Children Act, 1926, provides for the legal adoption of infants.
A Court, upon the hearing of an application for an adoption order, may appoint
some public body to act as guardian ad litem, with the duty of safeguarding the
interests of the infant before the Court, and, where the body so appointed is the local
authority, may authorise the authority to incur any necessary expenditure.
The Council, at the request of the Home Secretary, has agreed to act as guardian
ad litem of children who are the subject of applications for adoption orders in London.