An Emergency Home For Children

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 3

An Emergency Home For Children

When an emergency hits a family, it can cause great unhappiness and harm to children. Often, it is difficult to find a place for them to stay at short notice and for a reasonably long period.

Cholmondeley Children’s Home, at Governors Bay, caters for just this sort of situation. It prides itself on never closing its doors to children in need, and takes them at very short notice. Situated on a s|-acre property, given to the community in 1925 by Mr Hugh Cholmondeley, the home takes in more than 200 children each year. It cares for children during their mothers’ confinement, physical or mental illness, or recuperation: it looks after them during desertion, bereavement, or family crisis, or when they need convalescence or a change of environment. The staff of six—a matron, four nursing aids, and a cook —look after up to 14 boys and 14 girls at one time. Brothers and sisters are admitted together, but boys must be aged from three to 10, and girls from three to 12. The home has its own schoolhouse and Education

Department teacher. The average length of stay is four to six weeks, but some children stay longer, according to circumstances.

Cholmondeley. Home is financed almost entirely by public donations, largely through membership, sponsorship, or bequests. Once a year, the society makes a direct appeal to the community and relies on getting 25 per cent of its total income from this appeal. This year, the street appeal will be held on Friday. Collectors are needed, as well as

goods for street stalls. Last year, 201 children were admitted to the home, compared with 200 in 1967, and 227 in 1966, according to the annual report. The average number of children each day was 18 or 19.

Although the street appeal last year realised 83785, rising salary, food, and power bills have increased the household cost of keeping a child by about $1 a week—so that there is a continuing need for funds, says the president (Mr C. L. Paterson).