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60
(k) Care of Illegitimate Infants.
The Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare Association in
1924 established its Babies' Help Committee of ladies prepared by
personal enquiry and help to assist unmarried mothers to remain
with their children instead of handing them over to the care of
others.
I am glad to be able to give the following particulars, provided
by the kindness of Mrs. Philpott : —
Babies' Help Committee.
During 1925 this Committee has dealt with 38 mothers.
Some have needed very little help—the provision of a cot or
perambulator or the promise to keep the baby in clothes being
sufficient—others needed financial help of varying amounts.
Two of our mothers married within the year. Five
cases were referred to other societies which it was considered
could give more suitable help than our Committee
could. Eight mothers and babies were boarded in cottages
with kindly landladies, but the others have continued to live
with the parents. We find that when the girls' parents realise
that others are willing to befriend the young mothers that they
generally then offer to do their part. Seventeen cases have
been helped from the Corporation fund. All the babies under
the care of the Committee have progressed favourably,
although several were very weakly when they first came to our
notice. Two or three have passed out of our hands, but as far
as we know there have been no deaths. The babies have
benefited enormously through being with their mothers and
being naturally fed, and we feel that although the Committee
is still in the experimental stage, it is working on the right
lines.
(1) Birth Control.
The question of instruction in birth control came before the
Committee during the year, and it was recognised that the desirability
of instruction in the matter was a point needing careful
consideration from various aspects, though at the moment the
definite veto of the Ministry of Health did not make any immediate
action practicable. The question again came up for revision early
in 1926, as a result of a communication from another local authority.
I give below the report presented on the subject arising out of that
communication. The Committee informed the Ministry that it
would be prepared to follow the conservative line set out in the
report, in the event of instruction in birth control in suitable
instances becoming at some future time the duty of the local
authority.