View report page

The services of a fully qualified social worker are shared with a neighbouring
borough.
As there are no local authority mother and baby homes in the borough, use is
made of those of other authorities and of voluntary society homes, one of which
caters especially for the very young expectant mother.
Of the 78 cases referred during 1969 through various channels such as social
workers, general practitioners, health visitors, voluntary social workers, the National
Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child, etc., 25 were admitted to mother
and baby homes and arrangements were made for some of the remainder to be
admitted at an appropriate time. In addition, eight of the cases referred during the
previous year were admitted in 1969.
From her first contact with the medical social worker the patient is supported
and cared for through a difficult period. Much time is also spent in reassuring or
advising distressed parents, and this often results in a re-assessment of the situation
so that the problem is handled within the family— often the most satisfactory
solution.
Where it is the wish of the mother to have the baby adopted, application is made
on her behalf to registered adoption agencies.
Of the 33 babies born to the girls admitted to mother and baby homes during
1969, sixteen were kept by their mothers, eleven were adopted or awaiting adoption,
three were taken into care of the local authority, one child died, and the final
placement of the other two was still under consideration at the end of the year.
"At Risk" Register
A register is kept of children who, because of some factor noted either before,
during, or after birth, may be thought to be more liable than other children to suffer
a mental or physical abnormality. These children are kept under observation by
assistant medical officers until it is established that development is normal. Children
are usually removed from the register between the ages of two and three years if no
defect has been detected by then.
Information concerning a child who may be " at risk " is received from the
doctor, health visitor or midwife concerned and in consequence 832 children were
placed on the register during 1969. Five hundred and forty-six children were removed
from the register in 1969, leaving a total of 1,489 at the end of the year.
Of the 693 children on the register who had hearing tests, eight appeared to
have some loss. Three of these children are still under the observation of the medical
officer at the Child Health Centre, and two were already under the care of a hospital
consultant. The other three children were referred to Tottenham Audiology Unit;
one of these children was found to have normal hearing and discharged from the
Unit, one who was being kept under observation died before the end of the year, and
24