Children’s homes share $15,000

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 3

Children’s homes share $15,000

A record sum of $15,000 for use in children’s homes in Christchurch was distributed equally among the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian social services at a ceremony at the Methodist Children’s Home yesterday.

The money was raised in the annual children’s homes appeal in October. A sum of $13,350 was raised in the house-to-house appeal, and the rest was contributed by business firms, trusts and schools.

The Rev. G. F. Mackenzie, superintendent of Presbyterian social service, who presented the cheques, said that work for children had been the Cinderella of the social services. In the last decade the emphasis had been on work with the aged, but in the next decade more attention would be given to children. In view of the increasing number of wrong alliances, solo parents, break-downs in marriage, and increased urbanisation and the consequent social problems, the need for increased care of children was obvious, he said. The Rev. H. C. Matthews (Methodist) said that the

combined services did all they could to repair the family situation and prevent children entering children’s homes and foster homes in the first place. Mr F. A. Gunn./the Anglican superintendent, said the main objective was to hold families together, and to re-

establish broken relationships. “If necessary, we will support the parent caring for the child —either financially or by offering counsel,” he said.

Most of the children in the institutions came from broken homes. Only a small number were orphans. The manager of the Methodist Children’s Home (Mr GBostwick) said that most parents put their children in homes only as a last resort. Ten to 15 per cent kept only minimum contact with their children. Usually they had valid reasons for their actions. Some were fearful of becoming too involved with the child and then failing to get custody of him, and others wanted to avoid contact with all immediate km for a short period, just to get things straight, he said. Most of the children in the homes were placed in family units of about 10. Members of natural families were kept together, and each family unit had “parents.” The cost of maintaining a single child for a . week

ranged from $l3 to $l5. Income came from the childrens’ homes appeal, Government capitation amounting to about $2, maintenance, and the family benefit. “We trv to get about $5 from maintenance. Sometimes we get $3, sometimes we get nothing,” said Mr Bostwick.