Evening star., 1939-01-11
Child Welfare
Work Revision
Urged by Lewis
New and Larger Unit
Part of Extensive
Changes Proposed
BY DON S. WARREN.

BY DON S. WARREN.
Extensive revamping of the Dis
trict's child-care program, involving
the creation of new and more
powerful Child Welfare Division
was proposed by Burdette G. Lewis
relief investigator, in the last formal
section of his report, released today
New unit proposed as an expan-
sion of the existing Child Welfare
Division, would be part of the De-
partment of Employment and Social
Security urged by Lewis.
The Child Welfare Divisions di-
rector, Mr.. Lewis suggested should
be made responsible for the follow
ing present units of the Board OF
Public Welfare:
The aid-to-dependent children
which Mr.. Lewis said should include
the division handling home care
cases:
The present division of Child We'll
fare.
Industrial Home School for
Colored Children.
Program for Colored Girls.
National Training School for Girls
(There should be developed a vo-
cational program for colored girls,
and, as there is very small number
of white girls under care of the Ma
tional Training School for Girls, it
would be we'll to provide for them
at other institutions, Mr.. Lewis
said.
Receiving Home for Children. Mr..
Lewis added there should be de-
veloped subsidized boarding homes
for the younger dependent children.
A medical program for child wards.
The training center for boys from
IS to II years of age, proposed by
Mr.. Lewis.
Lack of Co-operat tion Claimed.
In urging reorganization Mr..
Lewis said:
"A lack of cooperation and CO.
ordination is evident between public
and private agencies, the court, and
the Child Welfare Division; also
lack of understanding and cooper
= alton between the departments of
the Board of Public Welfare, Child
Welfare Division, the Aid to De-
pendent Children, Home Care, Pub
lie Assistance Divisions and the
institutions under the supervision
Of the Board of Public Welfare
"The chief of the Child Welfare
Division has the same official status
as the heads of the departments of
the Board of Public Welfare, and
the superintendent of the institu-
tions under supervision of the divi-
sion. Accordingly, it is impossible
for them to coordinate their work
and plan constructively."
Mr. Lewis said it was important
that the welfare laws be changed
to give the Child Welfare Division
the right to accept children as de-
pendents without court appearance.
He added: The division also should
have the legal right to investigate
and study cases referred, and to
supervise children in their own
homes, without commitment to the
Child Welfare Division"
May Be Forced on Court.
Mr.. Lewis warned that this type
OF protective service" may be forced
upon the Juvenile Court "inasmuch
as the Juvenile Court recently has
added 10 new members to it's staff
and the director of the Child We'll
fare Division, Miss Patricia Morss,
has requested that all investigations
OF complaints be handled by the
Juvenile Court. Juvenile Court
officials are aware that it Is not
socially sound or advisable protec-
tive work to be carried on by the
court"
Urging child welfare staff in
creases, Mr.. Lewis said "At present
the division is greatly understaffed.
More social workers, clerks and ste
nographers are needed. Case loads
are far too heavy for the workers
to do individual work or to plan
longtime program or develop re-
Mobilization plans for the children
now under care. At present, work.
ers are following the easier plan of
continued care away from the
chllds own home, which is far more
expensive and does not develop an
approved social program"
With the development of a Pro-
tectlve Department, Mr. Lewis said,
1t would be possible to abandon the
present Temporary Care Depart
ment.
Other Points Made.
Other points made by the investi-
gator:
THE HomeFinding Department
appears sufficiently stated with a
supervisor, two full-time workers
and a stenographer, although they
do not seem to be able to contact
homes quickly enough after applica-
tions are made. The percentage of
rejected homes appears far too
large" -
"The number of children being
placed in one foster home is far too
large and in many cases the homes
used are very little better than the
homes from which the children were
removed" =
1T would be advisable to develop
foster mothers clubs throughout the
District and In Maryland and Vir-
ginia to interpret the standards and
ideals to the foster parents" =
"A child-housing law should be
created in the District requiring all
applying foster parents to have a
general physical examination by the
Health Department. The home would
be investigated as to physical stand
ards by a representative of the
Health Department and the family
studied by the social agency and
approved to be used as boarding
home"
"At present it seems that the
Home Finding Department spends
too much time securing the back
ground and family history of foster