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Foster-Mothers.
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
1 at January, 1945 18
Number of persons who became foster-mothers during 1945 9
Number of foster-mothers whose names were taken off the register
during 1945 6
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
31st December, 1945 21
Number of houses visited by the Sanitary Inspectors for the
purpose of the Act during 1945 9
Number of visits made by the Sanitary Inspectors for the purpose
of the Act during 1945 12
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:—
(a) 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.
During 1945 notices were received from 14 persons in respect of 26
children. Adoption Orders were made by the Courts in respect of 13 of these
children during the year; two children, aged 2 weeks and 4 weeks, died from
acute primary pneumonia and acute bronchitis respectively. The other
11 children were still under supervision at the end of the year.
(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.
One proposed adopter was summoned for failing to give notice in writing
of the death of the infant to the Welfare Authority, but the summons was
dismissed, being regarded as a technical offence only.
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 1945 as far as the Maternity and Child Welfare work is
concerned:—
First visits to newly-born infanta 2,844
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 8,102
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age and under 5 16,929
Visits to expectant mothers 530
Home visits for other reasons 3,097
Total visits paid 31,502
Supply of Milk to Expectant and Nursing Mothers and Infants.—
A total of 39 lbs. of dried milk were given free under the Regulations of
the Ministry of Health during 1945 to 2 infanta. Since July, 1940, the
supply of liquid milk by the Council haa been suspended as this is now
provided under the National Milk Scheme.