Graphical version

London Metropolitan Archives

EDUCATION OFFICER'S DEPARTMENT: WELFARE SERVICES AND CHILDRENS CARE


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): LCC/EO/WEL

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: EDUCATION OFFICER'S DEPARTMENT: WELFARE SERVICES AND CHILDRENS CARE

Date(s): 1888-1970

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 5.3 linear metres

Name of creator(s): LCC | London County Council x London County Council

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Children's Service of the London County Council (LCC) was responsible for 4 groups of deprived children: those placed in care by their parents, those brought before juvenile court and then sent to approved schools or placed in care, those being adopted and those with foster parents. In 1929 the Local Government Act gave the functions of the poor law authorities to the LCC. The Council began to develop child services, but the Second World War interrupted this process. After the war a conception of a new form of organisation was beginning to emerge.

The 1948 Children's Act vested central control of children's services in the Home Secretary; the county councils were made children's authorities, and each was required to appoint a children's Committee and a children's officer. The LCC set up its Children's Committee in December 1948. The first children's officer was appointed in April 1949. The LCC had the duty to receive into care any child in the County, under the age of 17, whose parents or guardians were temporarily or permanently prevented from providing for them properly. Having received a child into care the Council was required to "further his best interests and afford him opportunity for the proper development of his character and abilities".

The Avondale Project was a pilot scheme to attach an adviser or "counsellor" to schools to advise pupils in their last year of attendance and to maintain contact with them during their first years at work. It commenced at Avondale Park School, Notting Hill before being extended to other schools.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the London County Council Education Officer's Department relating to welfare services and children's care, 1888-1970.

Subject and policy files on a variety of topics including children's care work; report of Children's Care Organisers and Divisional Superintendents on Unemployment and Distress in the early stages of the First World War; London Juvenile Advisory Committee; employment of children and juveniles; cleansing of verminous children; dietary and clinical investigation into nutritional standard of Bethnal Green school children by the Rowett Research Institute (Carnegie Trust); provision of hot mid-day meals in schools; Children's Play Centres Fund; after-care of school leavers; children's care organisers; proposed integration of children's care service and school inquiry service; Association of Children's Care Organisers; Association of Social Workers; the Young People's Advisory Service Avondale Project; Children's Country Holiday Fund; Youth Employment Service; Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906; School Meals Service; Bateson Report on the employment of children as film actors, in theatrical work and in ballet; smoking and health; Child Guidance Clinic, Maudsley Hospital.

Minutes of the Children's Care Committees of individual LCC schools and minutes of Local Associations of Children's Care Committees. Registers of infringements and prosecutions regarding the employment of children under Education Act, 1921; Summons Books for infringements of school attendance requirements; minutes of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Children's Care Service.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

LCC/EO/WEL/01: Subject and policy files; LCC/EO/WEL/02-03: Minutes; LCC/EO/WEL/04: Registers; LCC/EO/WEL/05: Miscellaneous.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: City of London.

Physical characteristics:

Fit

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

See also the London County Council Children's Department (reference: LCC/CH) and the London County Council Welfare Department (reference: LCC/WE).

Publication note:

For further information on the history of the LCC please see Achievement: A Short History of the London County Council by W Eric Jackson (1965), LMA Library reference 18.0 1965, The London County Council 1938, LMA Library reference 18.7 SER 4, and The Youngest County: A description of London as a county and its public services, 1951, LMA Library reference 18.0 1951.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: April to June 2009


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Child care services | Child welfare | Social welfare
Child labour | Labour
Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906 c57 | Educational legislation | Legislation | Law
School meals | Student welfare
Schools | Educational institutions
Smoking education | Health education
Youth unemployment | Youth employment | Employment
Education

Personal names

Corporate names
Education Committee | London County Council
Education Officer | London County Council
LCC | London County Council x London County Council
Maudsley Hospital
Young People's Advisory Service
Youth Employment Service

Places
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe