THE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 235, 4 October 1937, Page 12

THE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN.

How Women Can Help To Alter Conditions.

There was a large attendance of Hi pin hers of the Kpsom-Oak branch of the fyiihour party «t their rooms, Royal Oak, "ii Saturday afternoon, when Mrs. R Inula Rloodworth, J.P., Associate of the Children's Court, spoko on the problem of the children whose lives are administered 1111.!• ■t- th- Child Welfare Act. Mrs, Met" Newton, J.P., presided, and the hostesses were members of the social committee. Mesdnmes Booth, Harris, Ardern, Max, Killip, and the Misses Booth and Kce\e. Two little girls, Pawn Anderson and Mary Bayne, danced a fan dance and a tap dance. Community singing wan led by Mrs. Killip, with Mrs. Max at the piano. The meeting stood in silence in memory of an oil and valued member of the branch, Mrs. J, S. Montgomeric, who passed away last week. Mix. Rhodn Rloodworth said that few people realised how serious a social problem was the number of children and adolescents, over TOGO in all, who were either wards of the State or came under the Child Wei fart- Act in some way. Many of these were orphans, and came under the Act. through no fault of their own. Some came via the Children's ( ourt, charged with delinquency. Mrs. Rloodworth emphnsised the forbidding nature of the surroundings of these Courts, and the terrible fact from the children's point of view, that there was no appeal from the judgments,

Rotating some of her own persona] experiences while investigating the working of tlio Art, Mrs. flloodworth said that in the various institutions for the rare or detention of children she had seen much to convince her that special training was needed for those in charge; lit present too much was left for the older children to do in looking after tho younger ones. A knowledge of child psychology was especially needed and thero should bo cnreful classification so that sub-normal or abnormal children should not he among normal children. Dealing with the State farms, the sneaker said that it seemed a pity children were often sent away from their own districti there was practically nothing but farming taught ns a vocation, with perhaps a little cobbling and basket-work. Tho . conditions did not attract teachers, who lost grading if they took up sub-normal and other institutional appointments. Whether farms or orphanages, she deplored ths dreadful automatic ritual of inspection of tho young people: lined up to pass beforo authority, pathetic little automatons showing, perhaps, hands or feet to he "passed" for cleanliness. Life in tho foster homes, too, was often very hard for the young; some of the conditions she had found were almost incredible; iu some cases the children were not allowed to eat meals with the members of tho family; one case she related of s boy compelled to sleep In a shed which was a combined wash-house and lavatory. The "Problem Child." Tho educational system, she said, made no provision for the "problem child," who did not "fit in" with his surroundings; ho may be committed to an institution under tho Act, and once there, if ho gavo any trouble he might bo classed as sub-normal and might even be sent to a mental hospital. In reply to a question aa to what women could do to alter this state of things, Mrs. Bloodworth said that the weight of public opinion must prevail; women must press for a speedy revision and redrafting of the Child Welfare Act, and society must undergo a complete change of outlook with regard to this grave social problem.

A hearty vote of thank* was accorded the speaker at the conclusion of her address, the chairman, Mrs. Newton, voicing the feeling of all present that the women of New Zealand owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mrs. Bloodworth for her tireless investigations of social conditions.