EDUCATION: CHILD WELFARE, STATE CARE OF CHILDREN, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1931.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1932 Session I-II, E-04

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1932. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CHILD WELFARE, STATE CARE OF CHILDREN, SPECIAL SCHOOLS, AND INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION. [In continuation of E.-4, 1931.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. I.—EXTRACT FEOM THE FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. CHILD WELFARE. Number op Children under Supervision. The total number of children under supervision of the Child Welfare Branch as at 31st March, 1932, was 8,392, classed under the following headings : — State wards— In foster-homes, hostels, and with friends .. .. .. .. 3,109 In situations (includes 21 absent without leave) .. .. .. 932 In Government institutions, receiving-homes, &c. .. .. .. 290 In private institutions .. .. .. .. .. .. 253 Inmates in special schools for the mentally backward .. .. 267 In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. .. .. .. .. 24 4,875 Young persons supervised in their own homes by Child Welfare Officers, by Order of Court .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 911 Infants supervised in foster-homes registered under the Infants Act .. 1,131 Pupils at School for Deaf, Sumner (8 of these being State wards) .. .. 120 Children dealt with as preventive cases .. .. .. .. 1,355 8,392 The number of children committed to the care of the Superintendent during the year ended 31st March, 1932, was 493, classified according to reason for committal as follows: Indigent, 215 ; delinquent, 16; detrimental environment, 42; neglected, 9 ; not under proper control, 133 ; accused or guilty of punishable offence, 78 ; and, in addition, 17 were admitted by private arrangement (section 12, Child Welfare Act), while 47 were temporarily admitted, making the total number of admissions for the year 557. Of the children committed, 67 had been dealt with previously by the Courts for other offences for which they had received terms of supervision. Classified according to. the age at the time of admission, the numbers, including temporary admissions and those admitted under section 12, Child Welfare Act, are as follow : Under six months, 59 ; over six months and under one year, 25 ; from one to five years, 88 ; from five to ten years, 110 ; from ten to fourteen years, 108 over fourteen years, 167. The length of period of residence for the children temporarily admitted was from one day to eight weeks. Of the children in foster-homes, 201 are over the age of fourteen years, of whom 130 are still attending primary schools and 71 are receiving higher education. In addition, there are 18 residing in hostels and receiving secondary education. Furthermore, 33 children under the age of fourteen years are receiving higher education.

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No. 2.—STATEMENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHILD WELFARE BRANCH. FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1932. Investigation and Supervision of Cases appearing before Children's Courts. The number of cases dealt with by the Children's Courts last year was 1,984, and of these 602 were placed under the supervision of Child Welfare Officers. Of the children placed under supervision, 41 were subsequently committed. The number actually admitted to institutions such as receiving-homes, special schools, training-farms, &c, was 493; but all of these, with the exception of 142 who required further training, were suitably provided for in the community before the close of the year. The other children appearing before the Courts were dealt with in a summary manner not calling for supervision by a Child Welfare Officer. At the 31st March, 1932, there was a total number of 911 children under the supervision of Child Welfare Officers by order of the Courts. Of the number, 602 placed under supervision this year, 69 had previously been dealt with by the Courts. The Magistrate had also ordered 4 children to spend a period in institutions. The following statement indicates the numbers (other than those placed under supervision or committed) appearing before all such Courts, and the methods of disposal: Admonished and discharged, 508; withdrawn, 11 ; returned to institutions, 34 ; dismissed, 20; adjourned, 60; committed to Supreme Court for sentence, 2; committed to Borstal, 33 ; convicted and discharged, 3; convicted and birched, 8 ; convicted and fined, 77 ; convicted and probation, 10; convicted and ordered to come up for sentence, 2. By-law cases: Dismissed, 1 ; convicted and fined, 60; convicted and costs, 13 ; admonished and discharged, 43 ; adjourned, 2 ; withdrawn, 2. Total, 889. Of the above, 297 were charged with theft; 133, wilful damage ; 9, false pretences ; 1, loitering ; 2, trespassing ; 3, cruelty to animals ; 2, attempted suicide ; 6, indecency ; 48, mischief ; 1, forgery ; 21, stone-throwing; 11, possessing firearms; 12, disorderly conduct; 3, obscene language; 18, assault; 36, breaking and entering; 14, not under proper control; 31, conversion ; 6, receiving ; 6, discharging firearms; 2, vagrancy; 4, indecent assault; 2, carnal knowledge; 11, detrimental environments ; 3, aiding and abetting; 3, arson; 4, delinquency; 3, drunkenness : 1, breach of supervision; 1, breach of Fire Brigades Act; 49, breach of Motor-vehicles Act; 5, breach of Acclimatization Act; 6, breach of Post and Telegraph Act; 1, breach of Licensing Act; 13, breach of Arms Act; and 120, breach of city by-laws. In addition to the above, there were 47 cases dealt with by Magistrates under the provisions of section 17 of the Amendment Act, 1927, and the information dismissed as trivial; while there were also 115 cases in which, as the result of consultation. between the Child Welfare Officer and the police, the informations were regarded as of insufficient importance to warrant Court action —the children concerned being adequately dealt with otherwise, usually by being regarded as preventive cases under the supervision of a Child Welfare Officer for a period. Preventive Work. An important part of the work of the Child Welfare Officers is that of adjusting conditions in homes, and in connection with families, in order to prevent the committal of children to the care of the State. In very many cases parents whose children are difficult to manage avail themselves of the services of Child Welfare Officers for the purpose of supervision and friendly guidance. At the end of the year there was a total number of 1,355 children being dealt with in this connection. Children under the Guardianship of the Superintendent of the Child Welfare Branch. At the 31st March, 1932, there were 4,883 children under control (excluding those mentioned under separate heading below), and of these 288 were in residence at Government receiving-homes, &c. (many of these, of course, only temporarily), training-farm and training institutions, 267 in special schools for mentally backward children, 87 in the four private Roman Catholic schools recognized under the Child Welfare Act; 2,289 children were boarded out in foster-homes, 911 were in situations, and 788 residing under license with relatives and friends. The remainder were in various private' institutions. Young persons over school age in employment number 805 males and 425 females (a number of whom are residing with friends), included in the total of 4,883. Of the males, 612 are farm workers (240 skilled in dairy-work and cheesemaking, and 372 competent to milk and carry out general farm-work), 51 are apprentices (of which number some are receiving assistance), and 142 others are employed in various trades. A number of these aie also receiving assistance. Of the girls, 346 are domestic workers, 41 factory employees, and 38 engaged in various employments, such as shopassistants, nurses, dressmakers, &c. A number of the girls are also receiving assistance,

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Child-placing System. Assisted Service, Higher Education, and Employment of State Children over School Age. At the end of the year 130 State wards over fourteen years of age were in attendance at primary schools and maintained by the Department, 58 were attending secondary schools, and 31 technical schools. Of the State wards in employment, 122, mainly apprentices, were being partly maintained by the Department. Infant-life Peotection (Infants Act, 1908). At the end of the year 1,131 infants and young children were supervised in 944 licensed fosterhomes. Of these, 806 homes had one child each, 105 had two children each, 26 had three children each, 4 had four children each, 2 had five children each, and 1 home had nine children. Adoptions. By an arrangement with the Department of Justice, applications for adoptions are investigated by Child Welfare Officers before being dealt with by a Magistrate. During the year 337 children were adopted, and in 30 of these cases premiums were received by the Department's agents, and paid out usually at the rate of 15s. per week for each child concerned. Of the total number of children adopted, 61 were under the age of six months, 59 between the age of six and twelve months, 118 between the age of one and five years, 58 between the age of five and ten years, and 41 between the age of ten and fifteen years.

Table 1.—Status of Children and Young Persons under the Guardianship of the Superintendent at 31st March, 1932.

Table 2. —Committals and Admissions during the Yeae ended 31st March, 1932. The following table shows the admissions according to age : —

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Status. Boys. Girls. Totals. In residence .. .. .. .. .. 158 130 288 Boarded out .. .. .. .. .. 1,340 949 2,289 At service .. .. .. .. .. 608 303 911 Witt friends .. .. .. .. .. 410 378 788 In hospitals, convalescent homes, &c. .. .. j 12 6 18 In refuges or cognate institutions .. .. .. j .. 97 97 In orphanages .. .. .. .. .. I 45 18 63 Absent without leave .. .. .. .. 18 5 23 In Borstal institutions .. .. .. .. 5 .. 5 Y.M.C.A. Hostel, Auckland .. .. .. 16 .. 16 Institute for the Blind .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 In colleges .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 2 In Girls'Hostel, Wellington .. .. ... .. 14 14 In residence, Roman Catholic schools .. .. 33 54 87 In schools for mentally backward .. .. ... 184 83 267 In School for Deaf, Sumner .. .. .. 2 6 ■-.■■■ - 6 In mental hospitals .. .. .. .. 4 2 6 Totals 2,835 2,048 4,883 ~

Boys. Girls. Totals Under six months .. .. .. .. 35 24 59 Over six months and under one year .. .. 14 11 25 - One year to five years .. .. - ■ .: : ■ .. 61 27 •■• : - ■ .88 Five years to ten years .. ., .-.;. 70 40 110 Ten years to fourteen years .. .. . j. 73 35 108 Over fourteen years .. .. .. .'. 108 59 167 Totals .. ... .. ..361/; - 196> ; ..'■_- '■','■■. 557

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Table 3 below shows the admissions classified according to the causes of admission. Of the total number (557), 215 were destitute or indigent, 133 not under proper control, 78 were charged with punishable offences, 16 delinquent, 42 detrimental environments, 9 neglected. Of the children admitted under these headings (493), 351 were placed out in the community before the 31st March, 1932.

Table 3. —Committals and Admissions during the Year ended 31st March, 1932, classified according to Causes of Admission.

Table 4.—lnmates discharged from Control during the Year ended 31st March, 1932. Boys. Girls. Totals. Discharged (Child Welfare Act, section 23) .. .. 262 140 402 Attained the age of twenty-one years .. 28 27 .55 Adopted .. .. .. .. 18 20 38 Written ofi books .. .. .. 33 21 54 Died .. .. .. .. .. 9 5 14 Married .. .. .. .. .... 23 23 Committal order cancelled .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Totals .. .. .. .. 351 236 587 Table s.—lnstitutions for Backward Children : Numbers at 31st March, 1932. Bachmond Otekaike „, , , (Girls). (Boys). Totals - In residence . , .. .. .. .. 81 184 265 On vacation .. .. .. .. .... 3 3 At service .. .. .. .. .... 6 6 Day pupils .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 Hospital .. .. .. .. .... 22 Totals .. .. .. .. 83 195 278

Table 6.—Particulars of Expenditure for Year ended 31st March, 1932.

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Taken charge of as Boys. Girls. Totals. Indigent .. ,. .... .. 127 88 215 Delinquent .. .. .. .. .. 12 4 16 Detrimental environments .. .. .. .. 25 17 42 Neglected .. .. .. .. .. 5 4 9 Not under proper control .. .. .. .. 79 54 133 Accused or guilty of punishable offence .. .. 68 10 78 Admission by private arrangement (section 12, Child Welfare Act) 10 7 17 Temporary arrangement .. .. .. .. 35 12 47 Totals .... .. .. 361 196 557

Item. Otekaike. Richmond. Total. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries .. .. .. .. 6,506 16 6 1,914 8 4 8,421 4 10 Advertising .. .. .. .. 17 6 11 6 19 3 24 6 2 Maintenance of buildings .. .. .. 110 18 8 21 9 11 132 8 7 Maintenance of institutions .. .. 4,289 14 7 1,397 9 2 5,687 3 9 Contingencies .. .. .. .. 100 .. 100 14,266 3 4 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. 260 14 8 14,526 18 0 Less— Board of staff .. .. .. 1,090 0 0 255 0 0 £ s. d. 1,345 0 0 Recoveries (parental contributions and 1,674 14 4 revenue from farms, sale of articles manufactured, &c.) National-endowment revenue .. .. 331 0 0 : 3,350 14 4 £11,176 3 8

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School for Deaf, Sumner. The number of children on the roll at Sumner at 31st March, 1932, was 63 boys and 57 girls; 16 pupils leftj and 15 were admitted during the year. Table 7. —Expenditure on School for the Deaf, Sumner, for Year ended 31st March, 1932. £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,698 1 9 Advertising, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 6 7 Maintenance of pupils and sundry expenses .. .. .. .. 1,998 810 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 291 6 6 Maintenance of buildings, furnishings, &c. .. .. .. .. 238 5 5 Contingencies, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 100 8,242 9 1 Less— Parental contributions and amount received from Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards .. .. .. .. .. 1,886 3 8 Board of staff .. .. .. .. .. .. 405 0 0 National-endowment revenue .. .. .. .. .. 184 0 0 2,475 3 8 £5,767 5 5 Net expenditure for year ended 31st March, 1931, was £6,091 4s. 6d. Table 8. £ Net expenditure on upkeep of child-welfare institutions .. .. .. .. 16,020 New buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 714 Salaries of staffs of homes, Child Welfare Officers, visiting nurses, &c. .. .. .. 31,395 Boarding-out of children — £ Payments to foster-parents .. .. .. .. .. ..87,171 Payments to Postal Department as commission .. .. .. .. 784 Issues of clothing, &c. — £ From institutions .. .. .. .. .. 742 From central and branch stores .. .. .. .. 1,502 2,244 Medicine, medical attendance, dentistry, clothing, &c. .. .. .. 3,773 93,972 Inmates at service— Issues of clothing, &c.— £ From institutions .. .. .. .. .. 984 From central and branch stores .. .. .. .. 1,105 ■ 2,089 Miscellaneous payments (clothing, medicine, &c.) .. .. .. 4,277 6,366 Refund of maintenance payments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 231 Refund of inmates' earnings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 271 Rent, office requisites, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,605 Maintenance of inmates in private institutions .. .. .. .. .. 3,233 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,083 Wages of inmates .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 207 Legal expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 Transfer and removal expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 Contingencies .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 161,253* Less recoveries— £ Board of staff .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,054 Parents and others .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18,477 Sale of farm-produce .. .. .. .. .. .. 1, 997 Inmates'earnings for clothing, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 6,448 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,650 National-endowment revenue .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,464 35,090 £126,163

* Expenditure £159,370 plus £1,883 (decrease in stocks).

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