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39
Number of children received during the year 76
Number of children removed from the register during the
year 105
Removed to care of parents 58
Removed to care of another foster-mother 15
Legally adopted by foster-parent 6
Removed to charitable organisation, etc. 6
Removed to hospital 2
At exempted premises 11
Foster-parent left the district taking the child
with her 1
Foster-mother no longer receiving payment 2
Child attained the age of nine years 4
Died
Number of children on the register at the end of the year 97
ADOPTION OF CHILDREN (REGULATION) ACT, 1939.
The operation of this Act designed to regulate arrangements made
by adoption societies and other persons for the adoption of children, to
provide for the supervision of adopted children by welfare authorities in
certain cases and to restrict the making and receipt of payments in
connection with the adoption of children was deferred to June 1st, 1943.
Welfare authorities are interested in a child under nine years of age
(until he attains that age or is adopted) in the care of a person not the
parent or guardian, in respect of the placing of whom arrangements have
been made by any person not the parent or guardian unless these were
made by a Registered Adoption Society or Local Authority. As regards
such children any person taking part in the arrangements should give at
least 7 days' notice to the welfare authority of the area in which the
adopter resides. During the year 2 notices were received.
ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.
Probably because greater difficulties are encountered which prevent
the marriage of the parents under war conditions than in peace time, the
illegitimate birth rate has increased. The percentage of total births for
this district in the six years 1934 to 1939 was an average of 3.0. The
slight rise to 3.4 in 1940 was only a continuation of the increase in each
of the three previous years. 1941 showed a sharp rise to 4.6 followed by
a decline to a figure of 4.1 in 1942. While these increased numbers
enlarge the problem, the existing demand for labour eases the making of
suitable arrangements for the mother and her child.
The Ministry of Health in Circular 2866 (1st October, 1943) urged
welfare authorities to consider the problem, suggesting they should
reinforce the work of existing voluntary moral welfare associations and
appoint a trained worker experienced in the special problems. Consideration
of the circular was deferred pending the receipt of proposals from the
County Council as, in addition to the appointment of the social work,
extra accommodation for the reception of the expectant mother and later
of the mother and her child would be required.