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It is to be noted that the above requirements do not apply to persons keeping
children for reward if the children are under their legal guardianship, or are related
to them as grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nephews or nieces.
The meaning of " reward " is very comprehensive, and means any payment or
gift of money or money's worth, or any promise to pay or give money or money's
worth, whether there is any intention of making profit or not. This includes,
therefore, the receipt of lump sums as well as of payments at intervals.
You do, I think, look upon your special care of these little foster-children as one
of your most serious obligations.
In my opinion the general legislation dealing with foster-children requires to be
strengthened, and, until it is so strengthened, the only thing that can be done is to
enforce present legislation in every way possible.
May I hope that everyone who reads this Report will look upon it as a moral
obligation to see that it is so widely known as possible that people who take upon
themselves the responsibility of being foster-parents must comply with the
requirements of the acts dealing with foster-children.
It is a happy thought that baby farming, in the sense in which these awful words
were known a generation ago, does not, so far as I am aware, exist today, but the
price of this is constant vigilance.
(u) Maternity and Nursing Homes.—During the year no less than 414 children
were born in your Maternity Home.
The Upney (Maternity) Hospital is under the supervision of your Medical Officer
of Health, and in addition your Deputy Medical Officer of Health pays regular visits.
Visits are also made by your Specialist Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynæcology,
Mr. J. V. O'Sullivan.
During the year a resident medical officer has been appointed to the Upney
Maternity Pavilion and the duties also couple those of medical officer to the
Humphrey Ward, a clinic I have already mentioned. He is also the medical
officer for the birth control clinic.
No nursing homes are maintained in the Borough.