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There is, however, co-operation with a Voluntary Moral Welfare Worker
in the distriot and all cases are followed up by the Health Visitors.
If necessary arrangements are made with the Essex County Council for
the admission of girls with their babies to the Ardmore Hostel, Buckhurst
Hill. No cases were admitted from Ilford during 1946.
A number of unmarried mothers from Ilford are also aocepted at the
Eomford, Hornchurch and Upminster Moral Welfare Committee's Hostel
at 51, Junction Road, Romford.
Foster-Childbbn .
Number of foster-children on register on 1st January, 1946 24
Number of foster-children who were notified during 1946 8
Number of foster-children returned to their mothers during 1946 5
Number of foster-children taken off register for various other
reasons during 1946 6
Number of foster-children on the register on 31st December, 1946 21
Fo8Tek-Mothers .
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
1st January, 1946 21
Number of persons who became foster-mothers during 1946 8
Number of foster-mothers whose names were taken off the register
during 1946 11
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
31st December, 1946 18
Number of houses visited by the Sanitary Inspectors for the
purpose of the Act during 1946 11
Number of visits made by the Sanitary Inspectors for the purpose
of the Act during 1946 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:—
(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.
During 1946 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; the other 13 children were still under supervision
at the end of the year.
(б) 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.
No notices were received during 1946.
Work of Health Visitors.—The Ilford area is at present 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, but at the
end of the year there were only 12 Health Visitors.