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Mother and baby homes—Voluntary organisations provide most of the mother and baby
homes in London, supported by grants in aid from the Council under the National Health
Service Act, 1946. One mother and baby home is maintained by the Welfare department
together with two other units within their larger homes.
1957 1958 1959 1960 1961
Total grants £11,360 £10,476 £10,237 £8,865 £9,998
Number of voluntary homes receiving grant at 31 December 17 16 15 15 15
Number of expectant and nursing mothers admitted 1,141 1,191 1,072 1,136 1,171
A marked upward trend in the percentage of illegitimate births in London over the last
five years has been commented on in this report (see page 7). There has also been an
increase in the number of illegitimate pregnancies among girls under school-leaving age
and girls still receiving full-time education. Although this increase must cause concern,
it should be kept in perspective. The overall number of pregnancies in girls 13 and 14 years
of age for England and Wales is not a large one (111 in 1960, the latest available figure)
but the care of these young mothers presents special problems.
I reported last year that, following a conference of departments and voluntary bodies
concerned, it was arranged for a mother and baby home in South London administered
by the Church Army to be made available for the sole use of young expectant mothers in
receipt of full-time education, who would be referred by the Children's Officer.
The home was opened on 1 April, 1961. A grant was made by the Health Committee
for the adaptation of a room for use as a schoolroom and a full-time teacher was provided
by the Education Committee. A special per capita maintenance rate was agreed by the
Children's department, which maintains close co-operation with the staff of the home.
An obstetrician in the maternity unit of a local hospital has undertaken the full maternity
care of the girls admitted to this home and they are all admitted to the hospital for delivery.
During the year 24 girls under 16 years of age were admitted to the home, one of whom
left before the baby was born. The majority had entered the home at about the fourth
month of pregnancy. Twelve babies were born during the year, of which five were taken
into care and five went for adoption; one mother kept her baby and one baby was still
in the home in 1962. Although the stay in the home can be prolonged post-natally, in
practice most mothers have left at six to eight weeks after delivery.
It is, perhaps, too soon to assess, in all its aspects, the value of this experiment in the
care of young unmarried mothers having full-time school education in a home designed
to meet their needs. Undoubtedly various modifications of the initial arrangements will be
made in the light of experience, but a review of the work achieved in the first eight months
is most encouraging.
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 health divisions 5 and 8; in 1961 he assumed
control additionally in health division 2. In the remaining divisions the number of children
supervised by child protection visitors on 31 March, 1961 was 487.
The Health Committee assumed the powers formerly exercised by the Public Control
Committee in respect of sec. 11 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, relating
to the death or serious injury of children under the age of 12 years involving an insufficiently
protected fire or heating appliance. Responsibility will be exercised by divisional health
committees and divisional medical officers within the scope of the department's child
welfare functions.
Marriage guidance
Grants totalling £6,900 for the year ending 31 March, 1962 were made to the London
Marriage Guidance Council, the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the Family
Discussion Bureau.
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