Fact Sheet #16

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Fact Sheet #16: EVADING RESPONSIBILITY

In 1967 Social Worker and author Margaret Kornitzer edited ‘Child Adoption’, the quarterly journal of the private sector Standing Conference for Societies Registered for Adoption. The only organisation of its kind its title was misleading.

More than 80 Local Authorities registered for adoption were excluded. Only those in the private sector were eligible to join.

The Standing Conference issued a variety of adoption related publications, held conferences on adoption, and ran training courses on adoption practice and procedure. Its Tutor Jane Rowe, Senior Social Worker, author, and adoption expert exercise immense influence in her role as Tutor and held extremely radical views on unmarried mothers.

GOVERNMENT SCRUTINISES THE PRIVATE ADOPTION SECTOR

The private adoption sector came under Government scrutiny in the 1960’s. In 1967 after lengthy investigations Government voiced serious concerns.

THE PRIVATE ADOPTION SECTORS RESPONSE

In 1967 an extremely disturbing editorial appeared in ‘Child Adoption’ journal Number 52:

‘The need for more information has long been felt and for some years many of us have realised that we did not know the basic facts about adoption practice or whether even our most cherished working principles had any basis in reality. The challenge to acquire more information therefore comes not just from a Government department but from our own uneasiness about the state of affairs.'

THE ESTABLISHED FACTS

Social Workers and Moral Welfare Workers were fully conversant with adoption practice, principles, procedure, the Law relating to adoption and Social work guidelines.

Their intensive training consisted of three parts; the practical side covered all aspects of Moral Welfare Work, Case Work training, eight weeks experience in residential homes. The theological side involved Old and New Testament, and Christian Doctrine. There was also a University Course of Social Science including ethics,
psychology, and social conditions.

TRACKERS INTERNATIONAL

Trackers International believe this editorial is deliberately designed to enable trained Social Workers and Moral Welfare Workers evade responsibility for illegal practices, coercion and duress that resulted in hundreds of thousands of unmarried mothers being denied their legal right to keep their babies.