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There is, however, co-operation with a Voluntary Moral Welfare Worker
in the district 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.
A number of unmarried mothers from llford are also accepted at the
Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster Moral Welfare Committee's Hostel at
51, Junction Road, Romford, and at 71, Caernarvon Road, Stratford.
Foster-Children.
Number of foster-children on register on 1st January 1947 21
Number of foster-children who were notified during 1947 12
Number of foster-children returned to their mothers during 1947 2
Number of foster-children taken off register for various other reasons
during 1947 4
Number of foster-children on the register on 31st December 1947 27
Foster-Mothers.
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the 1st
January 1947 18
Number of persons who became foster-mothers during 1947 11
Number of foster-mothers whose names were taken off the register
during 1947 6
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the 31st
December 1947 23
Number of houses visited by the Sanitary Inspectors for the purpose
of the Act during 1947 14
Number of visits made by the Sanitary Inspectors for the purpose
of the Act during 1947 43
Number of visits made by Child Life Protection Visitors 219
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 arc 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 1947 notices were received from 10 persons in respect of 16
children. Adoption Orders were made by the Courts in respec.t of 15 of these
children during the year; the other child was 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.
No notices were received during 1947.
Health Visitors and School Nurses.—Consequent upon the increase in
the volume of work, the Ministry of Health decided, following a visit of one
of their inspectors, that the number of Health Visitors and School Nurses
should be increased to 18 in addition to the Superintendent Health Visitor.
This was agreed by the Council.
Unfortunately, owing to the extreme difficulty in obtaining staff, it has
been quite impossible even to approach this number in spite of repeated
advertisements and applications to various organisations.
The Ministry, however, have stated that they would raise no objection to
employment of assistants to relieve the Health Visitors by undertaking
certain duties at the Infant Welfare Centres, Immunisation Clinics and in
connection with school inspection work which does not require the special
qualifications of certificated Health Visitors.