The Unmarried Mother and Her Child

Originally published in 1960, when every twentieth child in this country was born illegitimate and among the children below school-leaving age over half a million were illegitimate. Who are the parents of these children? Why do they not marry? These and many other questions are explored for the first time in this book.

Virginia d'Avray Wimperis (1915-1991) Clifford Witting (1907-1968)

Preface. Part I: The Scope of the Problem 1. The Incidence of Illegitimacy 2. Who Have Illegitimate Children? 3. The Pregnant Bride 4. The Human Background Part II: Help for the Mother and Child 5. The Mother's Struggle 6. The Father's Contribution 7. The State's Contribution 8. The Local Authorities' and Voluntary Societies' Contribution 9. Two Mothers Tell Their Stories Part III: Citizens of the Future 10. The Influence of Social Policies on the Children's Fate 11. What Happens to the Children as They Grow Up? 12. Children in Public Care 13. The Children's Development Part IV: The Development of a New Approach 14. Legislative Reforms in Other Countries 15. The State as Guardian Part V: Summing Up 16. Some Questions and Conclusions. Bibliography. Principal Tables in Text. Tables in Appendix.