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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 for the admission of girls with
their babies to the Essex County Council, Ardmore Hostel, Buckhurst Hill.
A number of unmarried mothers from Ilford 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.
Children Act, 1948.—Under the provisions of the Children Act, 1948,
the Children's Officer of the Essex County Council assumed responsibility
for child life protection from the 5th July, 1948.
On the 4th July, 1948, the records showed:—
(a) Foster-children.
Number of foster-children on register on 1st January, 1948 27
Number of foster-children who were notified up to 4th July,
1948 5
Number of foster-children returned to their mothers up to 4th
July, 1948 2
Number of foster-children taken off register for various other reasons 9
Number of foster-children on the register on 4th July, 1948 21
(b) Foster-mothers.
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
1st January, 1948 23
Number of persons who became foster-mothers up to 4th July,
1948 3
Number of foster-mothers whose names were taken off the register
up to 4th July, 1948 7
Number of foster-mothers with children on the register on the
4th July, 1948 19
Number of houses visited by the Sanitary Inspectors for the
purpose of the Act up to 4th July, 1948 6
Number of visits made by the Sanitary Inspectors for the
purpose of the Act up to 4th July, 1948 7
Number of visits made by Child Life Protection Visitors 156
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.
The provisions of this Act, also, became the responsibility of the
Children's Officer of the Essex County Council from the 5th July, 1948,
under the Children Act.
Up to 4th July, 1948, notices were received from 4 persons in respect of
7 children. Adoption Orders were made by the Courts in respect of 3 of
these children during this period; the other children are still under supervision.
(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 up to 4th July, 1948.