19

E.—4

The following table exhibits the transactions of the year in respect of infants in licensed fosterhomes : —

Particulars of Admissions to and Removals from Licensed Foster-homes during 1910.

Foster-homes. The 680 infants in foster-homes ai the end of the year wore distributed as follows:— In 101 homes each having one .. .. .. .. .. .. 10l In 81 „ two .. .. .. .. .. ..162 In 22 „ three .. .. .. . . .. J66 In 9 „ four . . .. .. .. .. 36 In 3 ~ five . . .. .. . . ~ 15 516 680 Twenty-seven of the homes were those in which children under six were boarded out by Charitable Aid Boards. The total number of licensed homes was 705, so that at the end of the year there were 189 licensed homes in which for the time no infants were boarded. Nothing has occurred during the year to shake the Department's confidence in the- boarding-out system., oi to reflect upon the body of excellent women in whose charge the children have been placed ; and it is difficult to account for the large number (182) of transfers of children from one foster-home to another, except upon the supposition that they are due to personal or financial considerations that ought not to arise where the case of infants is the object in view. Medical Attendance on Infants in Foster-homes. One effect of the difficulty of recovering moneys expended under the Act has appeared in respect of medical attendance on the infants. Theoretically the parents are responsible for medical attendance, but the services oi medical men have often to be obtained without reference to the parents, or even in opposition to them if they do not wish to incur the expense, and the medical fes must then be paid either by the foster-parents, who cannot afford them, or by the Department, which lias notbeen provided with the means of recovering the expenditure. After many attempts at adjusting this difficulty it was decided that all other considerations must give way to the necessity for proper medical attendance being available when required, and arrangements have accordingly been made with a sufficient number of medical practitioners to attend, on behalf of the Department, all cases that shall be regularly introduced to them. The instructions given to the District Agents in this matter are as follows : " When an infant requires medical aid the foster-parent must, if possible, communicate with the parents or guardians immediately. If they make any delay in providing medical attendance the foster-parent must at once let the District Agent, or her representative, or the local visitor know of the illness and get instructions. If, however, the foster-parent considers the case one of such urgency that delay would be

i j= eq n -t i- to 1 l≤ "S 1 1 1 "E ! l.si 3 a" . *. * . s.s. 3. S g a ";* nj w«s « e ■ •* b ■ us e iXts o S-β £!* &£ £# g£ g£ *t}§' . J 1 J 1 1 I 1 I J J II I Entered on the jBoofo. On the books at the beginning 82 91 195 121 78 75 55 29 726 of the year Placed in licensed homes during 218 64 65 39 19 20 17 .. 442 the year Adopted with premium (exclu- 12 2 1 .. .. .. .. .. 15 sive of those already on the books) : . Total .. .. 312 157 261 ]60 97 95 72 29 1,183 Withdrawn, jrom and remainiti<j on the Books. Removed from foster-homes by 37 56 97 58 27 19 20 6 320 parents or guardians Deaths .. .. .. 14 5 5 2 .. 26 Adoptions from licensed homes 5 3 13 5 2 4 1 33 without premiums In homes to which exemption was 2 4 3 3121117 granted Brought under operation of the 3 5 7 43411 28 Industrial Schools Act Written off the books for various 2 7 15 10 3 4 3 35 79 causes On the books at 31st December, 56 83 150 136 94 63 60 38 680 19 io ; j Total .. .. 119 163 290 216 130 96 88 81 1,183