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There has for some time past been a growing tendency for mothers
to seek institutional accommodation for their confinement. Among
the contributory causes are, lack of adequate domestic accommodation,
lack of domestic help, and convenience. Whilst the number
of cases admitted for purely medical reasons is no greater, the percentage
of institutional births has more than doubled in the last ten
years.
Although the demand still exceeds the available accommodation,
there is no doubt that the existing beds can cater for those who have
undeniable claims to admission. The chief risk in the present situation
is that necessitous cases may be excluded by the filling of the
beds with cases whose only claim is one of convenience.
Unmarried Mothers and Illegitimate Children
The number of illegitimate births has doubled since pre-war
years, not a small part of the increase being in respect of births to
married women. The Council's Welfare Service works in co-operation
with the Sutton and District Girls' Aid Association in the care
of unmarried mothers. This arrangement includes the following
facilities : —
Admission to the local or an affiliated shelter home before and
after the confinement which is conducted in a convenient
hospital.
Advice on such matters as affiliation and marriage,
negotiation with the putative father.
Clinic supervision, obtaining baby clothes, help with adoption
and many other relevant matters.
The balance of the cost of maintenance in shelter homes which
cannot be met from other sources is invariably defrayed by the
Council.
The moral welfare worker of the association has given the following
information as to the mothers assisted during the year : —
Unmarried mothers assisted 8
Admitted to special homes 5
Transferred to R.C. Worker 1
Went to relations in the country 1
Admitted to institution (second child) 1
Of the babies born to these girls—
2 were adopted.
2 were with their mothers in domestic posts.
1 is in a home (mother paying).
1 is with a foster-mother
1 is with a grand parent
Married women assisted 4
Transferred to R.C. Worker 2
Child adopted 1
Child died after 5 days 1
The Council accepted financial responsibility for the maintenance
in shelter homes of six unmarried mothers for a total of 81 patientweeks.
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