17

E.—4.

No. 4.—INFANT-LIFE PROTECTION STATISTICS.

Particulars of Children admitted to and removed from Licensed Foster-homes during 1917.

Foster-homes. The 841 infants in foster-homes at the end of the year were distributed as follows : — In 491 homes each having one .. .. .. .. .. 491 In 104 „ two .. .. .. .. .. 208 In 28 ~. three .. ... .. ..84 In 11 ~ four .. .. .. .. 44 In 1 ~ six .. .. .. .. .. 6 In 1 ~ eight.. .. .. .. .. 8 636 841 Twenty-three of the homes were those in which children under six were boarded out by Charitable Aid Boards. The total number of licensed homes was 940, so that at the end of the year there were 304 licensed homes in which for the time being no infants were boarded. Hates op Payment to Foster-parents by Parents or Guardians. An account.of the rates paid is given in the following statement:— 1 at the rate of 2s. 6d. per week. 4 at the rate of 10s. 6d. per week. 12 „ ss. „ 12 „ lis. 2 „ ss. 3d. „ 53 „ 12s. 4 „ 6s. „ 93 „ 12s. 6d. 4 „ 7s. ~ 5 „ 14s. 39 „ 7s. 6d. „ 32 „ 15s. 1 „ 7s. 7d. „ 1 „ 17s. 19 „ Bs. „ 2 „ 17s. 6d. 6 „ Bs. 6d. „ 1 „ 19s. 3d. 6 „ 9s. „ 7 „ 20s. 532 ~ 10s. ~ 3 adopted, with premium (10s. per week) 2 „ 10s. 3d. The following comparison of the rates paid during the last five years shows that the usual payment is about 10s. per week : — 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1917. Under 7s. per week ... ... 24 29 22 31 19 7s. and under 10s. per week ... 161 163 153 128 75 10s. per week ... ... ... 482 596 566 539 532 Over 10s. per week ... ... 91 120 137 143 215

3—E. 4.

I -(J a & CD 3 60 CO *") fa M-( OJ o T3 iS ll CD ) W CM 'T! CD c ao CD f fl s gg S>H PQ CO I ■* CD 13 O cm a 6b Cc3 «eq ccj <} (M 4, CO HH a ° c ° C M © ■'" cd *h fi H IO S W) « <j ■* mh a ° CD co CD ll 11 "<d> pq a so IO *H d ° CD W CD t-t & 1 S>H M (73 i rH So fa CD O > O "3 -^ o Eh I 'laced in licensed homes during the year Withdrawn from homes— Removed by parents or guardians Deaths Adoptions without premiums In homes to which exemption was granted Brought under the operation of the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 206 58 88 62 28 18 20 I 1 481 ! I I 34 56 80 72 35 31 20 7 335 8 2 2 2 2 1 3 1 3 3 1 *2 1 1 1 1 12 26 11 4 8 6 1 2 1 2 24 8 17 11 9 3 5 59 112 _| i. Totals .. 46 76 120 93 49 39 27 70 520 »n the books at 31st December, 1917 98 92 153 144 119 98 83 54 841