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* Includes Richmond children born outside the Borough.
CARE OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.
On the 8th August, 1944, a salaried Social Welfare Worker was
appointed jointly by the Boroughs of Richmond and Barnes, with the
duty of ascertaining, advising, and giving continued help to all cases of
illegitimacy; and, in this connection, to act as liasion officer between
the two Local Authorities and the various voluntary and religious
organisations interested.
During the remainder of the year the Welfare Worker traced
74 cases of illegitimacy registered since the beginning of the year
1943, and found that no fewer than 55 of these were still in need of
help. By the 31st December some 26 fresh cases had been added
and the whole work in Richmond alone was requiring an average of
60 visits per month, or 6 per duty-day, in addition to clerical work
and interviews held at the Health Centre in Windham Road.
The outstanding problem in connection with this work is the need
for more residential accommodation where an employed mother may
be received post-natally together with her baby. Foster-mothers are
difficult to find in these days, and resident posts, when offered, usually
prove to be merely menial. The so-called Short Stay Hostel is designed
rather for shelter and midwifery than for after-care, whilst the Long
Stay Hostel calls for the building or acquisition of expensive premises,
leading in turn to a sharp rise in the running costs. In any case the