Local Authorities (Children) (Hansard, 26 February 1964)

§ Mr. Gourlay
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of children under two years of age in the care of local authorities who were adopted in 1963, and the number of such children with three, six, 12 and 18 months of being received into the care of the authorities, respectively.

§ Mr. Noble
I have asked the local authorities for this information and shall send to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Gourlay
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of officials in his Department who undertake inspection of local authorities' children's departments; which authorities were the subject of routine inspection in 1962 and 1963, respectively; and what steps he took to advise the appropriate children's committees of improvements desired in the administration of their departments.

Local Authority Number of Children in care as at 30th November, 1963 Expenditure per child-week in 1962–63 Staff in post at February, 1964

Children's Officers Child Care Officers^*

£ s. d.

Ayrshire … … … … 514 4 18 4 1 5

Dumfriesshire … … … … 108 5 10 11 1 1

Dunbartonshire … … … … 180 5 7 10 1 1

Fife … … … … 532 3 6 9 1 6

Lanarkshire … … … … 364 4 14 10 1 4

Midlothian, East Lothian and Peeblesshire† 444 5 2 0 1 5

Moray and Nairn … … … … 104 2 18 6 1‡ 2‡

^* The designation "welfare officer" is not normally employed by children's authorities.

† The combined area of Midlothian, East Lothian and Peeblesshire is served by one child care staff responsible to a joint children's committee.

‡ In Moray and Nairn the authority's child care and welfare functions are carried out by the same staff, but under the supervision of separate children's and welfare committees. The expenditure has been allocated.

88W

§ Mr. Noble
Inspection of local authority children's departments is undertaken by my Child Care and Probation Inspectorate. There are in post one chief inspector and seven subordinate staff; one subordinate post is vacant. In 1962 detailed inspections were carried out of the children's departments of Arbroath, Clydebank Edinburgh and Falkirk; and in 1963 of Perth Burgh, Stirling Burgh. Stirling County and the combined area of Midlothian, East Lothian and Peebles-shire. In addition the Inspectorate made over 100ad hoc visits in each year to local authorities and local authorities' children's homes for specific purposes connected with child care. After each inspection particular points were taken up with the children's committee, the clerk or the children's officer as appropriate.

§ Mr. Gourlay
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAI, REPORT the number of children in care, the expenditure per child-week, and the number of children's officers and welfare officers, respectively, in the children's departments of the following local authorities, as at 31st December, 1963, namely, Ayrshire, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Fife, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Moray, and Nairn.

§ Mr. Noble
The information requested is not readily available as at 31st December, 1963. The most recent particulars however are as follows:

Local Authority	Number of Children in care as at 30th November, 1963	Expenditure per child-week in 1962–63	Staff in post at February, 1964
				Children's Officers	Child Care Officers^*
	£	s.	d.
Ayrshire	…	…	…	…	514	4	18	4	1	5
Dumfriesshire	…	…	…	…	108	5	10	11	1	1
Dunbartonshire	…	…	…	…	180	5	7	10	1	1
Fife	…	…	…	…	532	3	6	9	1	6
Lanarkshire	…	…	…	…	364	4	14	10	1	4
Midlothian, East Lothian and Peeblesshire†	444	5	2	0	1	5
Moray and Nairn	…	…	…	…	104	2	18	6	1‡	2‡
^* The designation "welfare officer" is not normally employed by children's authorities.
† The combined area of Midlothian, East Lothian and Peeblesshire is served by one child care staff responsible to a joint children's committee.
‡ In Moray and Nairn the authority's child care and welfare functions are carried out by the same staff, but under the supervision of separate children's and welfare committees. The expenditure has been allocated.