GROUP TECHNIQUES IN A CHILD WELFARE AGENCY

Abstract

The New Bedford District Office of the Divison of Child Guardianship, a branch of the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare,
is responsible for providing foster care for children in the Southeastern region of the Commonwealth. This office is presently caring for some 420 children in foster homes and group settings. The number of children being referred to the office has been increasing for several years for a variety of reasons. In 1955 31 children were accepted into care, in 1956 50 children, 1957 80 children, 1959 102 children and last year 138 children were accepted for foster care. The percentage of children accepted from those referred has remained around 50% for the past several years. Since our field staff has not been enlarged, this increasing number of referrals to our District Office has of necessity caused us to be less effective in certain other areas. We particularly noted a falling off in the number of contacts we were having with the parents of children under care. This lack of contact has had unfortunate results which were called to our attention vividly last year when for the first time in several years the percentage of discharges of children to parents and relatives dropped below 50% of the total discharges.