London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Following representative meetings of the departments and voluntary bodies concerned
it was arranged that a mother and baby home in South London, administered by the Church
Army, should be made available early in 1961 for the sole use of young expectant mothers
in receipt of full-time education.
The home is being adapted to meet the special needs of the girls and a full-time teacher
is to be appointed to the home by the Education Officer.
Illegitimate babies—
Table (iii)—
| (a) | Living with mother | No. | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mother married to putative father or another man | 72 | 3.5 | |||
| Mother cohabiting with putative father | 103 | 4.9 | |||
| In grandparents' home, lodgings, residential post, mother and baby home, etc. | 889 | 420 | |||
| — | 1,064 | — | 50.4 | ||
| Adopted or placed for adoption | 569 | 26.9 | |||
| With foster parents or in residential nursery | 303 | 14.3 | |||
| In care of local authority | 52 | 2.5 | |||
| — | 924 | — | 43.7 | ||
| (c) | |||||
| Mother and child moved away, etc. | 124 | 5.9 | |||
| 2,112 | 100.0 |
At the end of the year 471 women were still awaiting confinement and in 22 cases the
arrangements for the child had not been settled. In 69 cases the woman married the
putative father before the birth, 523 moved to another area or returned to their own
country, etc. and 95 cases resulted in miscarriages or stillbirths.
1,213 women (37 per cent.) were reported as admitted to mother and baby homes before
their babies were born—this figure is a minimum, as complete details were not available
in all cases.
The total number of illegitimate live and stillbirths in London (Administrative County)
during 1960 was 6,671 and the number of women reported as admitted to mother and baby
homes represents about 17 per cent. of this total.
Child protection
The visiting of foster children under the Children Act, 1958, and the inspection of the
premises in which these children are living is undertaken for the Children's Officer by
health visitors who are designated as 'child protection visitors.' During 1960 the Children's
Officer assumed direct control of the work in two areas in London, viz., in health divisions
5 and 8. In the seven remaining divisions the number of children supervised by child
protection visitors on 31 March, 1960 was 624.
Marriage guidance
Grants totalling £6,500 for the year ending 31 March, 1961 were made to the London
Marriage Guidance Council, the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the Family
Discussion Bureau.
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