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No information is easily available as to the number of women who attend the maternity centres of the Authority
on account of illegitimate pregnancies or births. No distinction is made in respect of such cases at these centres.
Nevertheless, as expectant mothers, the general impression is that they attend much in the same proportion as other
such mothers, namely, about 80 per cent.
It should be appreciated that the women who so attend are not " bad " women and that few of them are cases
of second or third pregnancies under similar conditions. It is generally only in the case of mentally defectives that
such multiple pregnancies occur.
The Minister suggests the consideration of this problem under the following headings (a), (b), (c), (d), (e),
(f), (g) and (h):-
(a) Wherever possible to persuade the girl to make known her circumstances to her parents and, if the home
is likely to be a satisfactory one, to persuade the grandparents to make a home there for the little one.
Inquiries are always directed by the Matrons of the Health Centre to ascertain what provision has been made
for the child.
(b) Advising the expectant mother on suitable accommodation before and immediately after confinement.
Generally speaking, at the present time the expectant mother is in a position to remain in her lodgings or with
her parents or friends until the confinement, which usually takes place in hospital. Usually these expectant mothers
have in present circumstances sufficient money to enable them to remain where they are, but before the war the
difficulty of lack of money did arise in a number of cases. Where accommodation has to be found for the expectant
mother the Health Department may refer her to the Public Assistance Officer or get into touch with one or other of
the following voluntary agencies or moral welfare workers attached to diocesan and other religious bodies working
in Willesden :—
Miss Southon, The London Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare (Protestant). Works in Willesden, chiefly
Kilburn and neighbourhood, Hampstead and Hackney.
Last year this body dealt with about 200 cases, of which approximately 50 were in Willesden.
Miss Kitchen, The London Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare (Protestant). Works in Harlesden and
Harrow.
Miss Plater, of 59, Gloucester Place, the Roman Catholic Rescue Worker for the North-West area.
After the confinement the foregoing agencies also assist the girl to find suitable accommodation and sometimes
also suitable work. The Public Assistance Officer may also help her.
(c) Assisting the girl to obtain an affiliation order or otherwise to secure assistance from the father of the child.
The Health Department refers the mother to the Probation Officer of the Court, who advises the girl as to
how to see this matter through. If she should come within one or other of the aforementioned voluntary agencies,
the agency also impresses upon her the desirability of securing such an affiliation order and helps her towards this end.
(d) Assisting the mother to find employment, preferably with her baby, in an institution or in private
employment.
The above-mentioned voluntary agencies assist the mother to find employment. The mother's difficulty is that
she does not usually wish to have the baby with her and if relieved of the care of her baby she is usually able to return
to her former employment. The existence of the baby, however, complicates her position and it is in such circumstances
that the voluntary agencies are sometimes able to help. The Crusade of Rescue, Waifs and Strays, Dr. Barnado, etc.,
may take the children but not the mothers.
(e) If a home cannot be found for the baby with the girl's relatives (see (a) above), finding lodgings for mother
and baby when the mother desires non-resident work. This accommodation might be in a special hostel
set up by a voluntary body or by the welfare authority itself. If in ordinary lodgings it would be necessary
to arrange for the baby's care by day, e.g., in a war-time nursery.
This is really the crux of the problem and if arrangements could be made whereby the child was taken care of
there is little doubt that the mother would be able to look after herself. Hostels of the type referred to are few in
number, limited in accommodation and serve a wide area. There is no such hostel in the Willesden area.
(/) Finding a suitable foster mother if it is necessary for mother and baby to be separated. In such cases it may
be desirable for the authority to guarantee payment to the foster mother, recovering from the mother.
(This scheme works satisfactorily in Birmingham.)
This work is usually done by the Health Department so far as Willesden foster mothers are concerned, but
great difficulty exists at the present time in getting a foster mother. If foster mothers were available it would be
necessary for the Authority to guarantee them payment if the child is going to have a more or less permanent home
with such foster mother.
(g) Arranging for places in a residential Nursery or Home, for babies whose mothers cannot look after them
and for whom accommodation cannot be found by other means.
In some cases arrangements are made by the Health Department through the Women's Voluntary Services
for the evacuation of babies to the residential nurseries maintained by the Women's Voluntary Services. There is,
however, great difficulty in securing places for babies.
(h) In special cases, e.g., where the mother is very young or is the wife of a man not the father of the child,
giving advice about legal adoption.
The Health Visitor advises any mother wanting her child to be legally adopted to go to an Adoption Society
or the Court Probation Officer if she has an adopter in view.