Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

misfits.They have in their positions a uniqueopportunity to study the situation — especiallythe situation of the school children.The Government Scheme forEvacuation of unattended children wasnever meant to include children under schoolage, with the exception of some little ones whowere taken along with evacuation parties asyounger brothers and sisters. Evacuation ofunattended children under five was rightlyconsidered a difficult undertaking. They weresupposed to stay with their mothers and onlyto be evacuated with them whenever necessary.When the percentage of mothers who wereunwilling to leave London and stay in billetswas rather large, a scheme for under-fives wasadded to the other. These under-fives whosemothers had to have a good reason for stayingbehind were sent out unattended, either tonurseries or to selected billets. The difficultyremained that vacancies under this scheme werescarce compared with the onrush of motherswho were eager to send their small childrento some place of safety.In a London nursery like ours there islittleopportunity for collecting evidence aboutthe successful billeting of under-fives. Childrenwho are happy in their billets i.e.,who find a foster mother ready to "adopt"them, stay in the country and little more is42