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54
most cases the applicant wishes to foster only the one child. There are
in the district a certain number of homes in which a number of children
are cared for. In this case the number is determined by the area of the
sleeping room, each child being allowed 40 square feet. In addition
wherever there are more than three children a separate day nursery is
required. The foster mother undertakes to keep the child under the
supervision of her own medical attendant or attend the nearest infant
welfare centre. The homes are visited by the health visitor once a month,
so that the older of these children receive much more attention from the
health visitors than the other children in the district.
The following table summarises the information regarding the fostering
of children in this district :
Number of persons on the register who were receiving infants
for reward at the beginning of the year 123
(Of these 60 had children ; 63 not.)
Number of persons registered during the year 17
Number of persons removed from the register during the
year (either by reason of removal from the district, no
longer undertaking the care of the child, etc.) 10
Number of persons on the register who were receiving children
for reward at the end of the year 130
(Of these : 55 with children ; 75 without.)
Number of children on the register at the beginning of the
year 68
Number of children received during the year 69
Number of children removed from the register during the
year 59
Removed to care of parents 38
Removed to care of another foster mother 6
Legally adopted 2
Removed to charitable organisation, etc. 6
Removed to hospital 3
At exempted premises 10
Foster parent left the district taking the child
with her —
Foster mother no longer receiving payment 1
Child attained the age of nine years 2
Died 1
Number of children on the register at the end of the year 78
There are 38 homes where only one child is received. In addition,
there are 16 homes where more than one child is accepted, the number of
children in all these being 74. One residential school receives children
under nine years of age. In addition, there are two schools exempted.
There are many objections to the present arrangements for the
supervision of foster parents. On the other hand, the war led to a
large increase in the demand for such persons, a demand which has not
abated. The health visitors come across cases in which they feel the only
satisfactory solution to the problem is the temporary placing of a child
with a foster parent. Some persons, though, who might be eminently
suitable decline to assume the care of children any more because the