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John, aged 8, has been a member of a small gang engaged in
pilfering from chain stores and is now under the supervision of the Probation
Officer. Mary, aged 6, has recently been referred to the Child
Guidance Clinic on account of her extremely difficult behaviour at
school. Both these children have been poor school attenders in the
past and the parents have been before the Education Welfare SubCommittee
on this account. A third child died at the age of 18 months
from whooping cough—the parents, up to that time, having refused
to allow any of the children to be immunised. The two youngest
children aged three years and eighteen months are at present left in
the day nursery whilst their mother is out at work.
The N.S.P.C.C. Inspector has been concerned over this family
in view of the fact that the parents used to go out at night leaving no
one to look after the children. Six months ago the family were evicted
for non-payment of rent despite the fact that at that particular time
Mr. Brown had a reasonable job and was well able to pay. Mrs.
Brown and the two youngest children are now living in one small
room in her parents' house, which was already overcrowded. Mr.
Brown is living in lodgings and the two older children had to be taken
into the case of the Children's Department.
This is a sad story so far as it goes, but there is likely to be an
even unhappier ending. Least serious of all is the fact that the
cost of maintaining the two children in the care of the Children's
Departmet will be something like £10 per week for an indefinite
period—and remember here that Mr. Brown's arrears were only £8.
The real tragedy lies in the fact that the family is split, and is likely
to remain since no Council is keen to rehouse a family evicted for
arrears of rent when there are so many applicants on their waiting
lists. The children will grow up lacking the background and security
which is as essential for their emotional development and mental
health as vitamins and proteins are for their physical growth. They
in their turn, will be liable to "nervous" illness, they are likely to
make unsatisfactory marriages and will probably make poor parents
for their own children.
This is a vicious circle which must be broken, but which in the past
has only too often continued its turn unchecked, despite the utmost
efforts of the numerous skilled social workers who have had dealings
with the family. The break-up of the family must be prevented.
Following the receipt of the joint circular from the Ministries of
Health and Education and the Home Office in 1950, many Counties
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