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75
CHILDREN'S SERVICES
The Children's Service previously administered by the Middlesex
County Council was handed over to the Borough on the 1st April 1965,
and the Borough now has its own Children's Committee and Children's
Officer. The section forms part of a combined Department, comprising
Health, Welfare and Children's Services, all working under the Medical
Officer of Health, who acts as co-ordinating officer for the three sections.
During the nine months commencing the 1st April 1965, the section
has now been able to consolidate its position and was greatly assisted over
the transfer by the fact that all the staff opted to remain and two longstanding
vacancies for Child Care Officers have been filled. The move to
Hanover House, coupled with the transfer of the service to the Borough,
has produced much greater co-operation with all the other Borough
services, with great advantage to all concerned both from an economic
and a professional angle.
During the period, 150 children were with foster parents and their
excellent work in caring for the children and co-operating with the staff
to return the children to their parents in the cases where rehabilitation of
the family has been necessary is very much appreciated. Six of the children
so placed were adopted by their foster parents.
A great deal of effort is being made to implement the Children's and
Young Persons' Act of 1963, in order to help children to remain in their
own home and to prevent conditions arising which may necessitate children
leaving their own home.
A trial plan of holding a parents' advisory clinic for a couple of hours
once a week, when the services of a member of a Child Guidance Clinic
have been available, is proving very successful and a benefit to both staff
and parents alike.
The work of the Children's Service is affected not only by the physical
living conditions but the moral and spiritual conflicts of today are also
reflected in the problems that cause family breakdowns, and it seems as if
the future pattern will be of more intensive work in the homes of the
children at risk.