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CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT
Contributed by G.H.Baker, Borough Children's Officer
This Department is now two years old and during this time has become fairly established.
The staff has been increased to meet the heavy demands made upon their services and a new
Children's Home has been opened in Bisterne Avenue, E.17. A site in the Borough has been
allocated to the Children's Committee for the building of a Residential Nursery in 1968 to replace
the Nursery at Harlow which, owing to its situation and distance from the administrative centre,
has proved an uneconomical establishment.
During the year ended 31st December, 1966 the department admitted 204 children into
care and discharged 193, most of whom returned to their parents as a result of the work of the
Child Care Officers with the families. On the 31st December, 1966, there were 104 children in
care living with foster parents, whilst 64 children were in Children's Homes. The appeal for
foster parents has met with a fairly good response and is one of the reasons why we have more
children boarded out than in residential care. We are hoping, however, to improve the numbers of
immigrant children boarded out with foster parents and our publicity at present is geared towards
this goal.
As was predicted in the last year's report, the work of preventing families breaking up
or children appearing before Juvenile Courts has increased and on the 31st December, 1966 there
were 69 families with 187 children between them being visited, helped and supported by the
Children's Department. This work has included sending a family to a Rehabilitation Unit for
intensive training, matrimonial reconciliation work and advice for families in financial difficulties.
There is always an Officer on duty during the week and Saturday mornings at the office at 12
Church Hill to see any member of the public who wishes for any advice or help with their family
difficulties.
The work of the Children's Department also included adoption cases, staff acting as
guardians ad litem in 85 adoptions as well as supervising the children during the probationary
period to the Order being made. All children placed "privately" by their parents in foster homes
were visited by Child Care Officers during the year in accordance with the statutory regulations.
At each Juvenile Court session an Officer was present to represent the local authority and to
submit a report when requested. We also helped in the after care of youngsters released from
Approved Schools and visited children under Supervision Orders.
Many of the staff have attended short courses or conferences provided by the Central
Training Council of the Home Office or the London Boroughs Training Committee to improve their
knowledge and to keep abreast of new angles in child care. This department has also given a
big contribution with practical training to a number of students from Universities and Colleges
during the year for periods of up to six months, the two senior Child Care Officers acting as their
tutors and supervisors.
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