CHILDREN WITHOUT HOMES
Sta,—I was much interested in the article on "Children Without Homes" —as the increase of illegitimacy is one of the major home problems of the war. My suggestion to help solve this would be to have hostels run in direct connection with Maternity Homes, and to regard these as rehabilitation places where women, married or single, who have no homes, could go with their babies and regain themselves. Many girls would thus be tided over, a difficult time and make good. As it is an infinite amount of care and expense is poured out on pregnant women and during their confinements—then, owing to shortage of staff, they are bustled through hospital and given (generally) the minimum of mothercraft instruction, and turned out to face a most difficult situation which is mostly solved by getting the child adopted, a course which may —or may not—be ideal.
If a hostel was there with a nursery these girls could learn how to look after their children. The work could be run by an efficient and sympathetic matron, a good secretary and a cook, plus help from the girls. It should have the active interest of some well-tried organisation, like the Church Army or the W.V.S.'to help the girls into good and happy lives. Further these mothers could earn money by going out as part-time maids in servantless homes, and so solve another acute problem. The incentive of having their own child to work and care for would give them a real object to steady their lives and make at least some of them again useful citizens. The alternatives are pretty dreary and often disastrous for mother and child. They are either parted for ever or the mother is faced with the great expense of boarding out her baby, leaving it with strangers and attempting to earn enough to keep them both.
I am writing of this scheme to you, hoping that you, with your galaxy of resources, may feel it worth while to develop.—Yours faithfully,
Previous page
