Evacuation of Schoolchildren

Abstract

THE Government Evacuation Scheme is reviewed in a Circular (No. 1965) to county councils and local authorities and an accompanying memorandum (Memo. Ev. 8. (London: H.M. Stationery Office. 4d. net)), which explain in detail the scheme recently announced by the President of the Board of Education. More than 400,000 evacuated schoolchildren remain in the reception areas, and the Government is of the opinion that dispersal of children from the evacuating areas is as desirable now as it was at the outbreak of the War. The first objective of policy is therefore to ensure that there is no further drift back of those children to the evacuation areas. To secure an equitable distribution of the burden of private billeting, householders in reception areas are to be invited to place their names on a roll, one of the primary objects of which will be to secure a list of persons willing to share with their neighbours in the care of children who have been billeted since the outbreak of war. Local authorities also have compulsory powers if the voluntary response is insufficient. At the same time, the billeting allowance has been increased to 10s. 6d. a week for all schoolchildren of fourteen years and over as from March 2.