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 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Residential establishments for young children in care
Private residential establishments and those under the management of the Children's
Committee are visited regularly by the Council's medical officers, who advise on hygiene
and child health. A register is maintained of physically and mentally handicapped children
and individual case histories are regularly reviewed by a senior medical officer, so that the
need for special education or long-term care can be anticipated.
Adoption and boarding out
Children in care who are being considered for adoption or boarding-out are medically
examined by a doctor, who supplies a written report of the examination on the form
provided by the Council. This, in turn, is scrutinised by a medical officer in the Public
Health department and the Children's Officer is advised on the child's suitability on medical
grounds for boarding-out or adoption. Should a report reveal a medical defect or handicap
in the child, the Children's Officer is also advised on any particular medical need. Where
there is a history of inheritable disease in the natural parents, the Children's Officer is
advised of this and a medical officer interviews the prospective adopters, with whom he
discusses the implications of the probability of the child's inheritance of disease or defect.
The number of children referred to me for advice by the Children's Officer and the decisions reached are shown below:
| 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Adoption cases: | |||||
| Suitable for adoption | 167 | 228 | 267 | 257 | 289 |
| Suitable for adoption subject to certain conditions | 2 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 43 |
| Unsuitable for adoption but suitable for boarding out | 17 | 5 | 21 | 13 | 5 |
| Withdrawn by Children's Officer | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
| Under consideration at 31 December | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 190 | 238 | 296 | 315 | 346 | |
| 2. Boarding out cases: | |||||
| Suitable for boarding out | 320 | 290 | 447 | 438 | 483 |
| Withdrawn by Children's Officer | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Under consideration at 31 December | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
| 324 | 296 | 460 | 450 | 487 | |
| 3. Unsuitable for either adoption or boarding out | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 517 | 535 | 756 | 766 | 834 |
Care of the unmarried mother and her child
| £ | |
|---|---|
| London Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare | 8,387 |
| Southwark Diocesan Association for Moral Welfare | 5,937 |
| Westminster Catholic Social Welfare Committee | 600 |
| Southwark Catholic Rescue Society | 500 |
| Jewish Board of Guardians | 150 |
The two Church of England organisations (the London Diocesan Council 'Wei-Care'
and the Southwark Diocesan Association) together employ a total of 26 outdoor workers,
each of whom has her own particular area and works from a local office. Grants to these
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