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Foster-Children.
Number of foster-children on register on 1st January. 1944 .. 24
Number of foster-children who were notified during 1944 . 8
Number of foster-children returned to their mothers during 1944 . 4
Number of foster-children taken off register for various other
reasons during 1944 7
Number of foster-children on the register on 31st December, 1944 21
Foster-Mothers.
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
1st January, 1944 20
Number of persons who became foster-mothers during 1944 6
Number of foster-mothers whose names were taken off the register
during 1944 8
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
31st December, 1944 18
Number of houses visited by the Sanitary Inspectors for the
purpose of the Act during 1944 7
Number of visits made bv the Sanitary Inspectors for the purpose
of the Act during 1944 15
Adoption of Children (Regulation) Act, 1939.—This Act came into
operation on the 1st June, 1943. Section 7 of the Act in which Welfare
Authorities are concerned, provides inter alia:—
(а) That any person (other than a registered adoption society or a local
authority, and not being the parent or guardian or a near relative of the
child or the person in whose care or possession he is to be placed), who
participates in making arrangements for the adoption of a child under the
age of nine years, must give notice, in writing, of the arrangements to the
Welfare Authority for the area in which the adopter resides, not less than
seven days before possession is taken of the child by the adopter. This
does not apply when an adoption order is made.
Three notices were received during the year.
One person who was participating in the arrangements for the adoption
of a child, failed to give notice. The circumstances were reported by the
Town Clerk to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee, and in consequence
a letter of warning was sent by the Town Clerk.
(b) That an adopter must notify a Welfare Authority if he changes
his address or if the child dies. In the latter event he must also notify a
coroner.
Work of Health Visitors.—The Ilford area is divided into 13 districts,
one nurse carrying out all home visits both for Maternity and Child Welfare
work and School Medical Service work in each area.
The following is a summary of the home visits made by the Health
Visitors during 1944 as far as the Maternity and Child Welfare work is
concerned:—
First visits to newly-born infants 2,742
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 8,572
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age and under 5 16,295
Visits to expectant mothers 620
Home visits for other reasons 4,866
Total visits paid 33,095
Supply of Milk to Expectant and Nursing Mothers and Infants.—
A total of 529½ lbs. of dried milk were given free under the Regulations of
the Ministry of Health during 1944 to 76 infants. These figures include the
supplementary issue of 14 20 oz. packets of National Dried Milk to
two infants who were receiving the Dried Milk under the National Milk
Scheme. Since July, 1940, the supply of liquid milk by the Council has
been suspended as this is now provided under the National Milk Scheme.