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two associations covered a large proportion of the salaries and expenses of the outdoor
workers. The work of the Westminster Catholic Social Welfare Committee (Crusade of
Rescue) is somewhat differently arranged; the first interview and the plans for the mother
are dealt with at the association's central office, mainly by voluntary workers. When the
question of adoption arises, this is dealt with by a social worker of the Crusade of Rescue.
The Southwark Catholic Rescue Society interviews the mothers at a central office where
the girl is seen by a social worker. The Jewish Board of Guardians also maintain a central
office. When financial assistance for maintenance is needed the matter is referred to the
Welfare department of the Council.
Pregnant girls of school age living south of the Thames are helped principally by the
children's special workers attached to the divisional school care organisation of the
Education Officer's department; north of the Thames this work is done by the children's
voluntary moral welfare associations, which are grant-aided through the Children's
Committee. The Children's department and the adult voluntary moral welfare associations
also deal with a number of cases.
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. A total of £11,743 (including £1,920 for special works) was paid during
the year to the 16 homes receiving grant and the number of expectant and nursing mothers
admitted to these homes was 1,599. One mother and baby home is maintained by the Welfare
department together with two other units within their larger homes.
A marked upward trend in the percentage of illegitimate births in London over the last
eight years has been commented on in this report (see page 6). 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. The care of these young mothers presents special
problems and I have previously reported 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.
Girls are admitted to the home as soon as pregnancy has been diagnosed. A full-time
teacher is provided by the Education Committee and a special per capita maintenance
rate is paid by the Children's department, which co-operates closely 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.
A consultant psychiatrist visits the home every two weeks and holds informal discussion
groups with the mothers.
During the year 22 girls under 16 years of age were admitted to the home. Of the 25
babies born in the year to young girls, ten were placed with a view to adoption, eight
remained with the mother or have since been re-united, six were placed in residential
nurseries and there was one still-birth. One mother had a severe mental breakdown and
had to be transferred with her baby to hospital. She subsequently fully recovered and
returned to her own country with her baby.
Staffing—The voluntary committees of mother and baby homes have experienced
increasing difficulties in recruiting resident staff. A trained nurse, often with midwifery
qualifications, has in the past been appointed as matron in most homes with a trained
nurse as her deputy. The present organisation of maternity services in London, however,
is such that experience in midwifery is no longer an essential qualification for the matron.
Because of this situation, coupled with a shortage of trained nurses interested in this field
of work, a number of homes have now appointed an experienced nursery nurse as matron;
this has worked well. Some homes have employed non-resident nurses or nursery nurses
as assistant staff.
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