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137
(c) In the sixth case the payments made by the mother were irregular and
insufficient, thus causing unpleasantness between the Foster
Mother and her husband. This made the mental atmosphere of
the home bad for the child. Arrangements were subsequently
made for the child to be taken by the Public Assistance Committee.
One of the children taken by the Foster Mother, registered for two, had
an accident, and as it was considered that this might be due to carelessness,
the Foster Mother was instructed to return the child to its parents. Alternative
homes were offered.
202 visits in connection with the work were paid in 1933. These visits
consist of: —
(a) Regulation visits to Foster Mothers.
(b) Visits to parents wishing to find Foster Mothers for their children.
(c) To inspect the homes of women desirous of taking a Foster-child.
(d) To children returned to their parents from Foster Mothers out of the
Borough.
(e) To parents of children placed with Foster Mothers in this Borough.
Each Foster-child under two years of age is visited once a month.
Children between 2 and 9 years of age are visited once in two months.
In cases of illness and at the request of Foster Mothers the visits are more
frequent.
Each Foster-child has been visited once between the hours of 7 and 9
p.m., and several have been visited as early as 9 a.m.
I. M. Heward,
Infant Life Protection Visitor.
Report by Dr. Evelyn McGregor, Assistant Medical Officer of Health.
Progress in many directions has been made in Maternity and Child
Welfare work in the Borough during the year 1933.
It is wise to pause periodically to review this progress in the light of past
experience, and as an aid to future endeavour.
Maternity and Child Welfare work, a service still in its infancy, was
commenced with the object of lowering infantile mortality. This purpose is
already being achieved, and in its achievement the work is meeting a much
greater need—it is educating the parents.