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Child welfare records
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- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of the series.
- Variations in title: Previously known as series 7, Social Service Dept.
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Physical description
1.5 m of textual records
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Administrative history
The Department was established to administer social services, including allocating cash allowances, and providing a variety of supplemental services to citizens in need of, and eligible for, financial assistance. These social services, including relief and rehabilitation, were provided by legislation enacted by both the federal and provincial governments.
Through the department, individuals could make application for mother's allowances, old age assistance and security bonuses (though this function was later transferred to the province), as well as disability and blind pensions. In addition to these services, the department also arranged nursing and boarding homes placement for aged and chronically ill persons receiving social assistance. Besides providing direct financial assistance and rehabilitation, other services provided casework, medical services, housekeeping, and nutritional services. Aid to neglected children was provided by two denominational organizations which operated homes to which cases were referred by the Social Service Department. The City was financially responsible for wards of the court. Rehabilitation programs for alcoholics were also operated by the Department. Taylor Manor, a boarding facility for the elderly, was owned and operated by the City. Proceeds from the residents' pension cheques defrayed about half the costs, and clothing was furnished on the standard cost-sharing basis between the provincial and municipal governments.
Burial service for the indigent dead was also the financial responsibility of the City. The Department was headed by an Administrator who was responsible to City Council through its Social Service Committee, and was organized internally into two large services: Social Services and Office Services. Social Services consisted of an intake section, where case files were initiated, a medical section, where medical cards were issued to entitle holders to medical services, and four field units (Centre, West, East, and South). Each unit consisted of a director and professional caseworkers, some of whom were supervisors. Office Services consisted of a control section, which authorized social assistance vouchers for payment, two other accounting sections responsible for maintaining departmental accounts and a records section, which maintained case files and indexes. The Department had relations with various child welfare agencies, the Family Services Association, Family and Children's Court, and other provincial and federal agencies, as well as City departments, which played significant roles in the program over its history.
The Department was provided for in the City's budget and was answerable to the City's Relief Committee from 1915-1936, and to the Standing Committee on Health and Welfare from 1937-1973.
On January 8, 1974, the functions of the City Welfare and Rehabilitation Department, as it had been called since 1971, were transferred to the Vancouver Resources Board, an agency of the British Columbia government.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Series contains records pertaining to the committal of infants and children to the care of the Children's Aid Society and the Catholic Children's Aid Archdiocese of Vancouver, including committal orders issued by the Family Court of the City of Vancouver and two bound volumes recording committal orders. Series also contains administrative files of the Children's Aid Society; commital orders by courts in various jurisdictions in B.C. to the Superintendent of Child Welfare; and case files of the Alexandra Non-sectarian Orphanage and Children's Home.
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Restrictions on access
With the exception of the administrative files, access to files in this series is restricted. Please consult the archivist.
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Finding aids
File list available.