[Forms of taking care of a mother and a child in Warsaw on the pages of Polish monthly "Opiekun Społeczny" published from 1936 to 1939]

The issue of care of a mother and a child appeared to be nothing new during the period of II Rzeczpospolita. It used to be one of the most vital problems of social policy of the country. It was the local governments, gmina. poviat's unions as well as the voivodship. Social Security Committees responsibility to protect motherhood and care for children imposed on them by the 16th August 1923 act. The regulation of Department of Public Health the city of Warsaw from 1929 stated in the 1st and that aforementioned care included: "sanitary, medical and nursery care provided by Department of Public Health information bureaus or the social institutions subsided by the magistrat and authorized by it". "Opiekun Społeczny" as the monthly having dealt with the social policy issues in the capital city, in detail discussed certain problems of social and health care for a family, explained the valid legislation and informed about the new Health Department acts. The magazine was above all addressed to Health Department workers and social workers. The issue of care for a mother and a child used to be the leading subject-matter of the magazine since the beginnings of its existence. It was numerously pointed out that taking care for motherhood and a baby, a child at pre-school and school age and the youth is the main job of the care department. The material and moral relief used to be lead by the social workers. As far as the legal assistance is concerned, it was the special information bureaus workers' organized by Zarzad Miejski and "Osiedle" committee responsibility to help mothers in need. One of the most essential problems on one hand and the most difficult on the other faced by the capital city welfare was the problem of illegitimate children, especially the abandoned ones constituting a numerous group. The welfare's aim was to decrease their number and improve their living conditions. The main principle was to make each mother to raise her child on her own. That is why the abandoned children places were reorganized and transformed into the mother and child homes. A new institution was also created--it was the care for abandoned mothers existing near the workplaces. It were the principles then to create conditions efficient enough for the mother to live on her own. The material and legal relief was provided as well as mothers were helped in finding job. Taking care for a mother and her child used to be the field of social institutions. There were various social organizations such as Polish Care for a Child Committee, Polish Drop of Milk Society, Polish Society for Alcoholism Fight and so forth. It was their main aim to help mothers and children in poor living conditions.