8.—4.

No. S.—INFANT-LIFE-PROTECTION STATISTICS.

Particulars of Children admitted to and removed from Licensed Foster-homes during 1919.

Foster-homes. The 807 infants in foster-homes at the end of the year were distributed as follows : — In 532 homes each having one .. .. .. .. .. 532 In 92 „ two .. .. .. .. .. 184 In 15 „ three .. .. .. 45 In 6 „ four .. .. 24 In 3 „ five .. .. .. .. 15 In 1 „ seven .. .. .. .. 7 649 807 Twenty-eight of the homes were those in which children under six were boarded out by Charitable Aid Boards. The total number of licensed homes was 981, so that at the end of the year there were 332 licensed homes in which for the time being no infants were boarded. Kates of Payment to Foster-parents by Parents or Guardians. An account of the rates paid is given in the following statement: — 5 at the rate of ss. per week. 99 at the rate of 15s. per week. 2 „ 6s. „ 1 „ 15s. 6d. „ 23 „ 7s. 6d. „ 1 „ 17s. 20 „ Bs. „ 3 „ 17s. 6d. „ 5 „ Bs. 6d. „ 16 „ 20s. 5 „ 9s. „ 1 „ 30s. 360 „ 10s. „ 2 „ 355. | 9 „ 10s. 6d. „ 2 „ 425. 7 „ lis. ~ 8 adopted, with premium (10s. per week). 2 ~ lis. 6d. ~ 2 for whom no payment is being made 48 ~ 12s. ~ but who are still under supervision. 176 „ 12s. 6d. ~ 1 for whom no payment is being made 1 „ 13s. ~ but whose clothing the Department 1 ~ 13s. 6d. „ provides. 7 „ 14s. The following comparison of the rates paid during the last five years shows that the usual payment is about 12s. 6d. per week:— 1915. 1916. 1917. 1918. 1919. Under 7s. per week ... ... 22 31 19 11 7 7s, and under 10s. per week ... 153 128 75 52 53 10s. per week... ... ... 566 539 532 502 368 Over 10s. per week ... ... 137 143 215 294 376

5—E. 4.

27

J 1*8 to «*H 3 . rtS oo o JS "9 SB. _ S d ap a £ cs<l cq CM To CD 0 too cS <| a ° do QQ 00 fn fe g pq co ■* T3 CD T3 CD S _ O too cd <J COS <, CN HH CO HH fl° a ° CD r/j ©to 11 51 "StH 'S>H pq PQ IO T3 p a too cS «t\ -* HH a° CD f « CD K _tS pq CO 13 CD £ a op 3 3<J 00 6 IO HH pH COO a ° <o^ S2 _ «- j $* ° H i On the books at 31st December, 1918 Placed in licensed homes during the year 72 80 182 153 132 107 63 86 875 172 84 116 55 43 36 20 2 528 Totals 244 164 I p 298 208 .175 143 83 88 1,403 Withdrawn from homes — Removed by parents or guardians Deaths Adoptions without premiums In homes to which exemption was granted Brought under the operation of the Industrial Schools Act Written off the books for various causes 30 56 1 3 7 5 3 3 97 5 17 3 83 46 1 13 3 1 2 43 26 15 396 10 5 4 54 1 13 5 1 4 7 8 4 4 4 37 3 8 10 10 8 5 6 36 86 Total withdrawals 49 76 136 115 67 115 52 42 59 596 On the books at 31st December, 1919 92 80 168 137 97 97 72 64 807 I