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of the local association it was felt that to appoint a welfare worker
to the Council's staff, and so increase the number of Visitors for
this service, would tend to destroy the confidence of those girls whom
it was desired to help, as well as duplicate the functions of the
voluntary association's worker.
Foster homes are rarely a satisfactory solution of the care of
illegitimate children. When a mother loses daily contact with her
baby soon after birth her interest in her child invariably weakens,
often to vanishing point, and the child is soon deprived of its
strongest safeguard, the constant exercise of the maternal instinct.
Still further is it doubtful whether the local authority should
find and finance foster mothers. It is almost impossible, by periodic
visiting, to be adequately satisfied on the conduct of the foster
mother and since so large a proportion undertake this duty primarily
to augment the family income, it is difficult to see how the authority
can effectively supervise such a home and take disciplinary action
if, by placing the child there and financing the arrangement, they
have, in effect recommended it. No authority can assume that degree
of responsibility which is now generally expected of them when they
are able to exercise only that limited amount of control which is
possible over a private household.
Consultant Service
The services of an obstetric consultant are available for the
emergencies of pregnancy and complications of labour. This provision
was not utilised during the year.
Emergency Maternity Unit.
On the suggestion of the Ministry of Health, a Mobile Maternity
Unit was established in 1938 to provide skilled obstetric and nursing
assistance in the patients' homes. It is based on the War Memorial
Hospital and is available to any practitioner in emergency. The
Unit has been called upon once only, in 1942, since it was set up.
Maternity Outfits.
Sterilised outfits for use during confinement are supplied at cost
price or less than cost price in necessitous cases. Twenty-six were
issued during the year at cost price.
Home Helps.
The provision of domestic assistance for mothers during confinement
and in special circumstances, which is a long established
part of the scheme, was a mattter of increasing difficulty throughout
the war years. Endeavours to secure full-time or part-time paid
helps were without avail and resort had to be made to making
financial arrangements with obliging neighbours where possible in
individual cases. Needless to say, this only met the needs of a very
small proportion of those mothers who required help. Five mothers
were assisted in this way during the year compared with 51 in 1939,
although the need was far greater.
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