GISBORNE MEMBER COMMENDS WORK IN HOMES FOR CHILDREN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23352, 7 September 1950, Page 4

GISBORNE MEMBER COMMENDS WORK IN HOMES FOR CHILDREN

(Special) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. Asked for her opinion as to whether she favoured a periodical audit of all institutions having the C3re of homedeprived children, the Minister for the Welfare of Women and Children, Mrs. G. H. Ross, informed Mr. C. L. Carr (Opp. Timaru) in the House of Representatives yesterday that she did not see the necessity.

"A good spirit of co-operation exists between the private organisations and the Child Welfare Division and suggestions for improving the standards and obtaining expert advice on children’sbehaviour difficulties are usually accepted and implemented.’’ said Mrs. Ross. “I consider that the children's homes are doing very good work and that the statutory system of registration and inspection operates smoothly and efficiently.” Commenting on this answer Mr. R. A. Keeling (Opp. Gisborne) said that last year there were 2520 children living fn institutions. Of these 104 were real orphans. 21G were without a mother and 272 without a father, leaving 1828 whose parents were alive. Mr. Keeling said that as a former child welfare officer he was quite satisfied that the children's homes were conducted in a manner of which their controllers might be proud. The first duty of child welfare officers was to see that children had a normal up-bringing in their own homes. Failing that the children should be placed in a normal home with people willing to regard them as their own. The institutions were a third-best alternative. There were many things a child missed in them.