Show I and Public Welfare Editors Editor's note This is the second part of a two-part two feature feature feature fea fea- fea- fea ture article written by the Sanpete County Dept of Welfare Welfare Wel Wet fare Most l unwed mothers do not I need public assistance Most fost do donot donot donot not seek aid either financial or professional counseling services But for the minority who do the State Division of Welfare has a erious serious responsibility If the responsibility is shirked the problem doesn't disappear it becomes becomes becomes be be- comes greater An unwed mother is a lonely unhappy person She is usually I condemned by the community for her pregnancy Often she basno has bas no one to turn to for help although although although al al- al- al though she greatly needs help and comfort The physical needs of an unwed unwed unwed un un- un- un wed mother are the same as those of the married mother mother- she needs shelter food clothing cloth cloth- clothing medical care and moral I ing i support The married mamed woman receives rei re re- i calves these but the unmarried I mothers mother's needs are often met only grudgingly and usually It partially so The married mother looks forward forward forward for for- ward to the birth of her child joyously while the mother with an illegitimately conceived child I is frightened and depressed II She may vacillate between ther the r desire to keep her ber baby and the I thought that the baby would I have bave a better life if given away I for adoption i Child Needs Its Mother l There is a great deal of suffering suffering suffering suffer suffer- ing for the mother without a husband And there are those who believe she should suffer because beI because be be- cause she has done wrong she sheI I is bad I No person however harshly he might treat the unwed mothers would believe their children should be he punished for the circumstances circumstances circumstances cir cir- cir cir- of their birth They must be cared for on the same basis as other needy children Welfare Helps The Aid to Families with Dependent Dependent Dependent De De- De- De pendent Children Program of the State Division of Welfare isone is isone isone one way citizens of the state of Utah have taken steps to help an unwed mother and her illegitimate illegitimate illegitimate child The program focuses focuses focuses uses on the welfare of the child to keep the child with the mother on the theory that a mothers mother's love is preferable to life in an institution or a substitute substitute substitute sub sub- home Only a few children children children chil chil- dren in the Program have been born illegitimately about 13 per cent County welfare offices offices offices of of- are usually requested to help the expectant unwed mother moth moth- er after the fact count staff work with the mothers mother's immediate immediate immediate n needs ds and do what they can canto canto canto to prevent further pregnancies The purpose of the Program Program Program Pro Pro- gram is to help care for needy children in their own homes who are deprived of the support of a parent because of death divorce desertion separation or because because because be be- cause the family breadwinner is unemployed physically handicapped handicapped handicapped handi handi- capped or in an institution such as a hospital or a prison It is of particular importance that a mother provides a suitable suitable suitable suit suit- able and wholesome home for her children Welfare caseworkers casework casework- ers feel strongly about this They are aware of the emotional damage damage damage dam dam- age that can result when a child is torn from his family and a caseworker will do everything possible to help a mother correct correct correct cor cor- a child neglect problem When a neglect situation demands demands demands de de- mands it a family may be referred referred referred re re- re- re to the Juvenile Court and there is the possibility that the court will order a foster care placement for the children Its It's in this category that the critics of have a heyday They cite the cases of mothers entertaining men and throwing booze parties when the check comes in Welfare caseworkers are the first to admit that families of this nature are not unknown But they deny that it is a common practice The few cases said Morris Bunnell are what get public attention and this builds up a false prototype of all mothers The president of a bank may abscond with all the banks bank's money but that doesn't mean we should think all bank presidents presidents presidents dents are crooks laws require case workers to make regular home visits and other contacts with their client lies They y must determine in individual individual individual in- in social problems and move professionally to correct them Case workers also work with the schools to see whether a child i ir attending regularly and inquire about his school per per- They find out whether he is happy appears well fed and is properly clothed Furthermore people being what they are the neglectful mother finds it difficult to hide her neglect should she desire to todo todo todo do so Neighbors or relatives call the Welfare Office local officials officials officials of of- hear of the problems and if they are true neighbors relatives relatives relatives rela rela- tives and officials demand that some action be taken to correct the condition In providing assistance for the unwed mother the case workers stress concern for the welfare of the children and respect for forthe forthe forthe the dignity of the individual It Itis Itis Itis is by maintaining a mothers mother's dignity and feeling of worth as asa asa asa a person that she can best be helped to help herself Financial assistance is provided provided provided pro pro- vided so that the mother and child can meet the necessary expenses expenses expenses ex ex- of living Medical costs are met and if the mother is in need of psychiatric help she is referred to a clinic Although financial aid is the most publicized publicized publicized part of the program case work and other social services services services ices are the cornerstone Some girls come to us in a pretty desperate condition said Mr Bunnell Their families and friends completely reject them and they just dont don't have anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where to turn to but the Welfare Welfare Wel Wel- fare Division For some it is a alast alast alast last resource since they have no other place to go for help Mr Bunnell said He also discussed some of the practice things done by the caseworkers case caseworkers caseworkers workers such as helping the parents parents parents par par- and their pregnant daughter daugh daugh- ter to accept the reality of their situation with as little incrimination tion and self-blame self as possible helping the mother plan for the birth of her child arranging for medical care etc The mother may want to go to a family-care family type of home pending the childs child's birth She may wish to release her child for adoption and the case workers will help to reach a decision and follow the necessary necessary sary procedure The mother may need guidance guidance guidance guid guid- ance on how to file legal action against her childs child's alleged father Mothers l Not Condemned While case workers dont don't condone the act that caused a girls girl's illegitimate pregnancy we accept the unwed mother as a avery avery avery very hurt troubled unhappy and anxious girl who needs her family her friends and her community community com com- more than at any time in her past life said Mr Bun Bun- nell The last thing she needs at this point is to be personally judged and condemned for the difficulty she finds herself in The proper development of her child will depend in a large measure upon the degree of her stability as a human being Mr Bunnel pointed out The Program provides for counseling when a mother is faced with daily problems too big for her to cope with With the help of a skilled case worker she may be saved from going into worse situations and perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps from becoming one of the repeat repeater r unwed mothers Families dont don't stay on the Program long said Mr Bunnell The average case in Utah is open about 20 months For the most part welfare families families families fam fam- find the means of sup self port themselves and are glad to tobe tobe tobe be self The point to remember said Mr Bunnell is that people are not happy on welfare They take pride in being self Most people want to work Contrary to popular belief only about four per cent of all welfare welfare welfare wel wel- fare cases in Utah represent a second or third generation of welfare recipients and the per percent percent percent cent of Utah's population on welfare welfare welfare wel wel- fare rol roles s is at one of its lowest points In 1940 over nine per percent percent percent cent of the population was on welfare In 1950 it had dropped to 42 per cent and in 1966 the ratio stood at 36 per cent During the 66 1965 fiscal year the Utah Division of Welfare opened cases and closed cases The agencies that help the unwed mother haven't caused the pro problem lem they've inherited it it The Aid to Families With Dependent Dependent Dependent De De- De- De pendent Children Program does not increase illegitimacy it only tries to provide for the fatherless fatherless fatherless father father- less children who are the result of something wrong in society The problem is the concern of the whole community only with the cooperation and awareness of the whole community can something something something some some- thing be done with the problem of the unwed mothers u |