INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 76, 23 December 1907, Page 3

INFANT LIFE PROTECTION.

THE NEW REGULATIONS. ; TO TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1. Under the provisions of the Infant Life Protection Act of last session, all licensed houses for infants (in future to bo called " foster-homes") will bo transferred from the care of the polico to that of tho Education Department. The change takes effect on New Year's Day, and the homes will bo visitod soon aftorwards by the ladies appointed to bo district agents and local visitors. ; In the meantime homes licensed under tho former Act are deemed to bo registered as "foster-homes." Regulations in regard to these homes were issued in a supplementary "Gazette" on Friday. They provide that overy application for a license shall be addressed to the Secretary for Education, and lodged with the district agent of the district within which the applicant resides. When an infant is taken into a foster home the foster-parent shall forthwith supply tho Secretary, for Education with tho name and other particulars of the infant on the prescribed form. Except by special sanction of the Minister for Education, no person who is in receipt of charitable aid shall be licensed as a foster-parent. The foster-parent shall keep a record-book, and shall enter tho particulars therein specified immediately aftor tho occurrence of the incidents to bo recorded. Every foster-home and the infants maintained therein shall be visited regularly by an officer duly appointed under the Act. Such visits shall bo made as frequently as the individual circumstances of each case require, but in no case shall an infant under ono year of age bo visited loss often than once in two months, nor an infant over that ago less than onco in four months. Fosterparents aro required to promptly comply with any direction given by- a district agent or other duly authorised person in the execution of his, duty; they must always allow all reasonable facilities to local visitors for ascertaining the condition of infants placed in foster-homes, and they must treat infants with all the care and kindness suited to their tender ago. If an infant becomes so ill as in the judgment of the foster-parent to need medical attendance, tho foster-parent shall, by the most speedy means, call'upon the father, mother, or other near relative of such infant to provide such medical attendance; but if it is not practicable to communicate promptly with a uear relative of the infant, or if for any reason there is delay in tho arrival of medical aid, the foster-parent shall on her own responsibility immediately obtain tho attendance of a medical practitioner. Tho foster-parent on tho occurrence of such illness must inform the district agent without any delay. ; If tho license of a foster-parent is revoked on the ground that any infant in her charge has been improperly treated, the revocation' may include the forfeiture of any moneys for the maintenance of such infant that would otherwise be due to her. ' • ■ In the event of tho loss or destruction of a license tho Secretary for Education shall, before issuing a duplicate license, obtain from the foster-parent a statutory decimation setting forth the facts and circumstances of such loss or destruction. The clerk or registrar of the Court in which any order of adoption under tho Adoption of Children Act,--1895; is. made, shall, immediately upon- tho issue of the same, forward a copy thereof to the Secretary for Education, and also to tho district agent wherein tho adoptive parent or parents reside, together with a statement sotting forth the terms of any agreement or arrangement under which the adoptive parent or parents receivo. a premium or other consideration m respect of such adoption.