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18
Care of Illegitimate Infants.
The care of illegitimate child and the mother falls into
three categories: (a) Ante-natal care; (b) lying-in period; and
(c) Post-natal welfare. We are able in this area to provide
adequately for (a) and (b) through existing maternity and child
welfare services, which maintain a close liaison with the
Voluntary Society working for the care of these infants and
mothers. The Welfare Authority contributes towards the maintenance
of cases in the Society's Homes, but not to the maintenance
cost of the Homes.
The post-natal care presents most difficulties, because it
concerns the rehabilitation of the mother with her child towards
normal conditions of citizenship. The after-care of the child is
exercised satisfactorily under the following methods of disposal,
viz.:—
1. The child remaining with the mother or relatives.
2. The mother, with child, being received into residential
employment.
3. The mother engaging in daily employment and the child
being cared for in a day nursery.
4. The child being admitted to a residential nursery.
5. Boarding-out with a foster mother, or at a " Foster
home with mother.
6. Adoption of child.
Under (1) and (2) the Health Visitor supervises; (3) provides
a day-time supervision ; and (4), of course, continuous
supervision operates. The Kent County Council make provision
for residential nursery, and Bromley children may be accepted
who would be paid for on a weekly basis. Under (5) the
selection and approval of foster mothers functions under the
Health Visitor, with the guarantee of payment to the foster
mother. The establishment of the projected " Foster " home in
Bromley will be a provision of the utmost value in after care
of these children. Under (6) adoption is regulated by statute,
and is linked with the services of Maternity and Child Welfare.
Viewing the supervision of the boarded-out child and
adopted child as a whole, it would appear as if the time were