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These babies resulted from the pregnancies of 3,023 women—in 652 cases the result of
pregnancy was unknown, and 99 resulted in miscarriages or stillbirths; 1,352 women (45
per cent.) were reported as admitted to mother and baby homes before their babies were
born.
The total number of illegitimate births in London (Administrative County) during 1959
was 5,765 and the number of women reported as admitted to mother and baby homes
represents about 23 per cent. of this total.
Enquiries made by three of the five associations, which deal with about 85 per cent. of
all cases, into the background of girls whose babies were born during the period 1 January,
1957, to 30 September, 1958, showed that 90 per cent. of the mothers had been brought
up by their own parents.
Information about putative fathers is unreliable but from evidence available it appears
that only about six per cent. were under 20.
Child protection
By arrangement with the Children's Officer the visiting of foster children and the inspection
of the premises in which the children are living continues to be undertaken by health
visitors designated as ' Child Life Protection ' visitors. Until 31 March, 1959, these duties
were carried out in accordance with Part XIII of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, as
amended by Part V of the Children Act, 1948. The Children Act, 1958, which repealed
existing legislation and re-enacted with modifications the child protection code came into
force on 1 April. The expression ' child life protection ' has been dropped and is replaced
by the expression 'child protection.'Under the new Act, a child is not a 'foster child'
unless there is an undertaking to care for and maintain him for reward for a period
exceeding one month. Also excluded from the definition of a foster child is a child who is in
the care of any person in any premises in which a parent, adult relative or guardian is for
the time being residing, or a child whose welfare is already the responsibility of specified
competent authorities. The Act now extends child protection to certain school children who
remain at school during the school holidays for a period of more than one month unless the
school is one maintained by a local education authority. Whilst the former child protection
code was in force, the number of foster children to be kept in each new foster home was
fixed by the local authority. Under the Children Act, 1958, the power to limit the number
of children to be kept in a foster home applies only to premises which are ' wholly or
mainly ' used for the keeping of foster children. Where the premises are so used, the local
authority may also impose other requirements.
The number of children supervised by Child Protection visitors on 31 March, 1959, was
626, a decrease of 77 compared with 1958.
Marriage guidance
Grants totalling £6,500 for the year ending 31 March, 1960, were made to the London
Marriage Guidance Council, the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the Family
Discussion Bureau.
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