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No. 2.—STATEMENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHILD WELFARE BRANCH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1927. As stated in the annual report of the Minister of Education, the function of the Child Welfare Branch is to prevent wastage in child-life, to provide for social readjustment wherever necessary in the interests of children, and to ensure that the physically and mentally handicapped are educated, trained, and where possible suitably placed in industry. For the purpose of carrying out this work, and of giving effect to the provisions of the Child Welfare Act, 1925, and the Infants Act, 1908, the Branch has a staff of field officers (both male and female) in each important centre throughout the Dominion. Child-placing System. The majority of the children committed to the care of the State are not detained in institutions, but are boarded out in foster-homes situated mainly in suburban areas and in districts in close proximity to the smaller centres of population. At the end of the year there were 1,909 children boarded out —1,871 from Government receiving-homes and 38 from private industrial schools (Roman Catholic). Arranged according to the ages of the children the numbers at 31st March, 1927, are as follows : Under five years, 384; from five to ten years, 643; from ten to twelve years, 363; from twelve to thirteen years, 208 ; from thirteen to fourteen years, 201 ; and over fourteen years, 110. The rate paid to the foster-parents for the maintenance of each child is 15s. a week, but for infants under twelve months 17s. 6d. a week is paid. Each child is provided with a very complete initial outfit, the foster-parents being required to maintain the clothing at this standard. Medical attendance, medicines, and dentistry are provided by the Department, as also are school-books and school stationery. Upon Child Welfare Officers rests the responsibility of selecting proper homes and of supervising the inmates in these homes. No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down as to the type of home to be selected, or the number of times a home should be visited, or the methods of supervision. Much depends upon the personality, ability, and intuition of the officer concerned. Frequent visiting is advocated in the interests of the children, and as a general rule this is carried out; but the Department arranges a further safeguard by obtaining confidential reports every quarter from the headmasters or class-teachers of the schools which the children attend. Wherever possible, arrangements are also made for local honorary Lady Visitors to visit the foster-homes monthly, or more frequently if necessary, and generally keep a friendly eye on the children concerned. For certain types of dependent children there is no question that the boarding-out system is superior to all other systems of dealing with them. The fact that under the boarding-out system children have the opportunity of growing up as ordinary members of the community under decent conditions is in itself sufficient to commend the system apart from any other consideration in its favour. Associated with child-placing in families, it is essential that there should be cottage homes where remedial treatment and preliminary training in correct habits and discipline may be carried out. This is provided for in the receiving-homes for children and older girls, and in probation homes for boys. As these homes are of limited capacity, the period for which any one child is kept in residence is necessarily limited, but further provision is made at the Boys' Training-farm, Weraroa, and at the Special School for Girls, Caversham, for the accommodation for periods up to twelve months (or longer if necessary) of boys and girls respectively who after several trials at board or in situations fail to do well. The residential training institution is a very necessary part of the system, but no boy or girl is admitted to such an institution until the Department is fully satisfied that no other course is open in the interests of the inmate's future welfare and in the public interest. The success of the system of placing out children in family homes can perhaps be judged best by the fact that a very small number of these young people find their way into institutions such as Weraroa and Caversham. The average number in residence at Weraroa is eighty-four boys, and the average number at Caversham forty-seven girls. These numbers include not only the failures under the placing out-system, but also a considerable number of young lads and girls who are either about or over sixteen years of age when dealt with by the Children's Courts. Cases placed under Supervision by the Children's Court. It is provided in the Child Welfare Act, that in every case where a child appears before the Children's Court investigation must be made by a Child Welfare Officer before the case can be dealt with by the Court. There is provision also for the Court to place children under the supervision of these field officers for definite periods where it is considered that the child or young person concerned can be safely left in his own home or in a home of some relative or friend approved by the Court. From the tables published below it will be seen that during last year 412 children were so dealt with, but thirteen of these eventually proved unsuitable and had to be removed from their homes and placed under direct State control. For the supervision of the majority of these young people the Department desires to acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered by the " Big Brother " movement of the Y.M.C.A. This movement, commenced in Auckland a few years ago, is now established in practically every important centre in the Dominion, and must be regarded as one of the most important contributions by private effort