Evening star., 1939-08-10
Socia|Agency
Backs Reforms
In Adoption Law
Praises Goldsborough
Plan for Curb on
Unsuitable Homes

Is lledTl lily Ill dCCOIu Will GIle IeCclt
recommendations of Judge Alan
Goldsborough in District Court for
legal curbs on baby brokers' and
unsuitable boarding homes for chill
dren.
Mrs. Bernton reviewed the efforts
of the council in recent years to
reduce commercialism in the adop-
ton field and to bring the standard
of child welfare service to the level
OF comparable cities.
In August of 1887, she said, an
adoption law was Endorsed by the
council and passed thy Congress. 1t
requires an investigation by the
Board of Public Welfare into the
fitness of the adopting parents and
into the possibility of inherited
diseases in the child.
But no protection is available for
the child or the mother prior to the
formal request for adoption, Mrs.
Bernton pointed out.
Protective Service Urged.
"Dr. Jacob Kepecs, director of the
Jewish Children's Bureau of Chi
cago. was appointed last spring by
the Commissioners to study public
child welfare services in the District.
He recommended, among other
things, that the Board of Public
Welfare be empowered to give pro-
tective service to children, and
case work facilities to unmarried
mothers
The recommendations, if carried
out, it was said, would largely elimi-
nate commercial practices, but DR..
Kepecs' suggestion for an additional
appropriation of S636,660 for the
Child Welfare Division was cut to
10000 by Congress.
Mrs. Bernton said the council has
been active in the promotion of
legislation for the licensing of
boarding homes receiving children.
At present the homes are required
to receive a permit from the Health
Department upon the basis of sani-
tary conditions without require
ments for the social Well-being of
the child or mother
Problem Declared Growing.
AS a result, Mrs Bernton said.
"children often are given to any
one who will take them without any
investigation of the fitness of the
foster parents. and often without
the full consent of the mother.
Only in those instances where for
NAL adoption proceedings have been
instituted can the Board of Public
Welfare investigate home
The problem of unmarried moth
has been too large, Mrs. Bernton
said, for the two private agencies
now doing this type of work. A
subcommittee of the councils child
welfare division investigated the
subject last winter and found "evi-
dence that the problem is growing"
Our neighborhood councils Mrs
Bernton continued, have reported
that the number of unmarried
mothers is increasing"
Licensing suggested.
Licensing of individuals and
agencies engaged in placing chill
dren for adoption was suggested by
Miss Patricia Morss, director of the
Child Welfare Division of the Dis
trict Board of Public Welfare.
Miss Morss cited the case of a
couple who obtained a baby for
adoption from baby broker. They
were to pay for the child on the
installment plan. The foster
mothers husband died and she felt
that she no longer could keep up
the payments and she asked the
broker to take the baby back. At
first he objected, but finally con-
sented, and placed the baby with
another family The new foster
mother reported that she also was
charged a siZable fee.
The fee in this case, Miss Morss
said, included fiat rate for investi
eating the baby's background and
providing temporary care, and an
other stiff charge for brokerage
services.
I'VE are investigating this particu-
lar instance" she added, "and ex-
pect to have the file of correspond
ence relating to it
Restrictions on Parents.
Miss Morss also advocated placing
some restrictions on the right of
parents to turn over a child for
adoption or permanent care without
the approval of an accredited agency
She urged that the birth registra-
ton law be amended to require at
tending physicians to give Identify
ing information regarding the
mother. Loss of all information re-
garding their heredity often is a
tragedy to adolescent children, she
pointed out. Knowing they are
foster children, they have a natural
and compelling curiosity as to their
parents, she explained.
When an adopted child reaches
the age of Is or 16," she added, "he
frequently becomes obsessed with the
idea of finding out who he really is
and if this natural desire cannot be
satisfied the childs emotional de-
velopment may be impaired.
Miss Morss pointed out that the
District law does not require on
birth certificates the name of mother
or father. This makes it difficult
and sometimes impossible for chill
dren to obtain certificates, which
often are of great importance.