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28
The Minister of Health draws the attention of Maternity and
Child Welfare Authorities to the importance of the problem.
The successful work of diocesan and other religious bodies has
shown that much can be done to help the mother and safeguard
the child, and the Minister suggests that each authority should
formulate a scheme co-operating with and reinforcing existing
Moral Welfare Associations. The Minister recommends the
appointment of a trained worker, who has taken one of the
recognised courses of training in social service, and who is
experienced in the special problems she will have to handle.
The duties of the special worker in co-operation with existing
workers of Voluntary Societies are briefly: —
(i) To persuade the grandparents to make a home for the
child.
(ii) To advise the expectant mother on suitable
modation.
(iii) To assist the girl to obtain an affiliation order or
ance from the father.
(iv) To assist the mother to obtain employment.
(v) To find suitable lodgings for mother and baby.
(vi) To find suitable foster-mothers.
(vii) To arrange for places in Residential Nurseries.
(viii) To obtain legal advice about adoption.
This work is done at present by the Superintendent Health
Visitor in co-operation with the Citizens' Advice Bureau and the
local Moral Welfare Authorities, usually the Bermondsey and
Southwark Diocesan Association (C. of E.) and the Crusade of
Rescue (R.C.). The number of illegitimate births in Mitcham in
1940-41-42 was 26, 26, 39 respectively. At least half of these cases
remain at home with their parents, and the main difficulty of the
remaining cases is to obtain suitable hostel accommodation until
such time as the mothers are able to obtain employment and
make arrangements for the care of the child. This may take
many months to accomplish, and any time limit on the duration
of stay of the mother should be avoided. Hostels should be near