CHILD WELFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 128, 2 June 1927, Page 10

CHILD WELFARE.

STATE DEPARTMENT'S WORK.

PROBLEM OF ILLEGITIMATES.

DEATH RATE TOO HIGH.

(Bj Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, thia day.

The superintendent of the Child Welfare branch of tho Education Department, Mr. J. Beck, gave an address to the Wellington branch of the National Council of Women, yesterday. He traced the history of that section of tho child welfare movement dealing with destitute, delinquent, neglected and uncontrollable children. Afterwards he said it was not the wish of the Department to separate children from their parents, and wherever possible children were left in their own homes under friendly supervision. Only in special circumstances were children taken from their homes. For children with no serious anti-social tendencies, foster homes were found, and about 2000 children were boarded out throughout New Zealand under the supervision of women welfare officers, the majority' of whom were trained nurses. The welfare of each child was watched closclv in every way, and at the age of fourteen or fifteen the best course to adopt for ite future welfare was finally considered. The Department saw the child through until it became self-supporting.

The Children's Courts. The Child Welfare Act, said Mr. lk-rtc. provided the necessary machinery for the establishment of children's court*, ami this <?ompnred favourably with that enacted in other countries, though in some ways it was proving difficult to effect the necessary changes from the old order in the matter of procednic. It was hoped that critics would have patience and refrain from indulging in criticism that might be harmful. Data were now being collected in connection with the regulating of street trading and the debatable question of children and picture shows. The Department would welcome considered opinions from the National Council of Women which would also bo of great help in educating public opinion on the subject. Legal Matus. The denth rate of illegitimates was far too high and that was a question the Council oJ Women might blmj investigate, especially from the point of view of the legal status of the child. Often such children were put in unsuitable homes and were not under any efficient supervision. Such children were not only handicapped socially, but legally as well. Even the adjudged father had no legal rights. There should probably be provision for the State to assume guardianship in certain types of cases, but this should be done only lluough • In- children's courts.

Private Services. The Department n-iilis<"d thr.t the coordination of and co-operation with private social service orgnnisation* whs t'sscntinl for the purpo-c of preventing overlapping ntul adopting uniform slajulHid- Hi' \\i>ik. Hound tnble cynfcrcix-es were desirable. Tlu- V.M.C.A. Big Brother" movement was an excellent am-tiuctive work, and larely hnd u failure. He hoped some day to see a "big sister" , movement inaugurated. He thought there should be some system of training social workers, as in other part* of the world. Referring to backward children he mentioned the establishment of schools at Oumaru for Ixiys, and at NcNou f"i girls.