Evening star., 1939-07-09

child in the care of the home for six
months after the child's birth. AT
the end of that period the tie be-
tween mother and child is usually so
close that the mother can see way
to have it with her always. st. Ann IS
Infant Asylum and Maternity Home
usually arranges the adoption of
several children year, while now
and then children are placed from
ST Johns Orphanage. the Jewish
Foster Home and the Washington
Home for Foundlings.
Activities of the baby brokers con-
Germ the division so greatly because
illegitimacy looms as the outstanding
factor which makes it impossible for
children to be cared for within their
own family circles thus making them
available for adoption. Figures COL
lected on 86 adoptions in the District
in the past year or so show that 50
of the children were born of un-
married mothers. Fourteen needed
other homes because of divorces. IL
because the mother was dead 4 be-
cause both parents were dead 2 be-
cause the father was dead. l because
the father had deserted the family.
and l because the parents were not
interested
Methods Used.
In this locality, where there is no
legislation to control the transfer of
children. study made by Mrs.
Trevvett of the number in which
placements are made assumes added
importance. Recent adoptions made
by persons not related to the child
were made by the following methods,
conspicuously haphazard: Parents
advertised in papers for home for
child, 4; adaptive parents saw child
and asked for it, 5; through mutual
acquaintance, 7; by hospital staff,
3: by physician. 8: by commercial
agents, 7.
In recent adoptions made by rela-
tives, mothers and step-fathers
topped the list with 81, while aunts,
uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers,
great-uncles and great-aunts took
l9 children. One father adopted his
own child and two second cousins
made foster children of their rela-
tives.
Another adoption problem is the
clause in the Adoption Act which
provides that the parents-elect can
not adopt a child permanently until
it has been in the home six months.
This clause is intended to protect
the rights of the natural mother as
we'll as the adopting parents Un-
fortunately, by the enc of this time,
the new parents are likely to be so
fond of the child that they are un-
happy when the court does not al
low the adoption.
"One of the more serious conse-
quences of the trial period says
Mrs. Trevvett, lis that the delay on
the part of the division encourages
the unmarried mother to turn to
commercial agents who are all too
willing to relieve her of RESPONSE
bility. For the same reason adopt
ing parents turn to commercial
agents rather than the Board of
Public Welfare 1t is the agents
who do the bulk of child placing in
Washington.
Consent Practice.
The signing of consent papers
is another hurdle for all those who
draw up adoption laws. Without
exception, adaptive parents stipulate
that the mother of the child must
not know the child's whereabouts
and adopting parents have a right
to ANONYMITY.
A simplified consent form is now
in use by the Division of Child We'll
fare. Attorneys operating for the
adopting parents place a paper over
the body of the consent form which
the mother signs at the bottom. This
is all right, the experts agree, but
only when the people who have in
vestigated the adopting home and
the infant are qualified to do so in
telligently and are receiving no
monetary reward. In cases when
consents are obtained by attorneys
from unmarried mothers two weeks
after the birth of the child the corr
poration counse1s i ofice is of the