Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-09-15
COUNTY WELFARE BOARDS AND CHILD CARE

II
~ passvely in the conservation OF child health and
life and the promotion OF child morality spirituality
and mentality. will be pleased know that the mos'
administrative advances in the local OF de-
pendent defective, and delinquent children are de-
scribed in report just issued by the United States De-
parment of Labor through the childrens Bureau en-
County Organization for and Protec-
ton" Administration of for neglected, hanSi-
capped delinquent by local boards of citi-
zens, employing trained workers and aided by state
boards. u.s. according report the plan which is
gaining approval a constantly Increasing number OF
States
Within recent years laws requiring permitting
some form of county welfare organization of broad
scope have been passed in Arkansas Minnesota, MIS-
souri,. North Carolina, and Virginia while individual
countless private agencies. State boards in Alabama
California Florida, New Jersey Pennsylvania. and
South Carolina working similar plans without
special legislative action County organization con-
cerned mainly with the of dependent children Is
found in Arizona. Indiana. New York. and Ohio
The report summarizes recent developments in these
and presents detailed accounts OF the methods
used in Minnesota North Carolina California New Jer-
sey and New York. where county organizations for
child especially well developed. These ac-
counts written. each case, by the persons who
have been most directly working out the
plans described
In the past according to the report the development
Of preventive constructive activities for children in
sections usually depended the willingness OF
some private individual or group assume the hnan-
cial obligation. but today county commissioners in
many States are finding It sound economy to make an
appropriation this purpose The recent rapid growth
OF county welfare work has about largely as re-
suit of the development of Statewide plans but local
organization is usually put into effect only after the
county indicated desire for It. There can be no
department unless the supervisors are ready TO
have It," says the secretary Of the California State
Board OF Corrections while the director
Of the Minnesota Childrens Bureal declares that 1t has
not been necessary to the local communities
in this regard they have already made requests
faster than the State department could meet the de-
mand OF eighty-sx counties Minnesota. sixty nine
have child welfare boards.
Securing executives superntendents trained for
is said offer the greatest difficulty IN con-
neoton with county organization; State universities
however are preparing students to return to their
home communities and take up this career, and State
boards make possible the interchange of experience
through conferences publications and other means In
the country the welfare worker has be general
practitioner but he must knowledge of the stand
ard practice in the fields OF child welfare work
is well the understanding and common sense neees-
,ary TO adapt these methods to rural conditions.
The plans are not exactly alike any States and
( is likely report points out that methods OF work
Identical in two counties OF the same state
Due to variations ether conditions in local
preferences for certain methods OF handling situations
he report declares probably State will md it prac
.cabie TO follow detail the plans adopted by any
other State successful they may have proved
but the basic principles in agreement"
In counties Of small population or those possessing
agencies whose already part of the Held
he care and protection of children may be combined
With publio health nursing enforcing school attend
nee preventive reconstructve work with families
including poor relief" and supervision of persons on
or parole. In others the task is extensive
nough to warrant dealing separately with each of these
roups activities but the general tendency Is IN the
ERECTION OF broad co-ordnated programs The move
,ent toward unified county organization Of welfare
ork is frequently report states the result Of local
fort to combine modern principles of social work with
usness methods" Duplication of work is thus elimi-
ated and neglected fields discovered and provision
lade for them.