Catalogue description DIOCESAN BOARD FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Prior to 1954, if a mother wished to put her child up for adoption the Church social worker would have to make arrangements through one of the national adoption agencies based in London. In 1954, the Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare was approved as an adoption agency in its own right, and this work continued until 1977, when the Diocese handed over its adoption work to the Social Services departments of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire County Councils.

After the transfer of the adoption work, the function of the Council and later Board for Social Responsibility continued to be to act as the "social conscience" of the Diocese, ensuring consideration of social and ethical issues within the Diocese; to study legislation, policy and developments in statutory and voluntary social work; and to facilitate consultation between these and Church-sponsored social work groups. The local associations continued to operate in other areas of social need, most notably alcohol abuse and assisting with carers. In 2000, the last local Association, Watford, was wound up

Most of the records of the St Albans Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility, its predecessors and local associations, have been deposited but are not yet catalogued; for a list of the records available please refer to lists of uncatalogued records ref. D/Acc510, D/Acc574, and D/Acc1034

Originally the St Albans Diocesan Union for Preventive, Rescue and Penitentiary Work, founded c1900s. Expanded to become the St Albans and Chemsford Diocesan Union for Preventive, Rescue, and Penitentiary Work, 1914-1919. Became the St Albans Diocesan Association for Girls' Aid, 1920-1942; the St Albans Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare Work 1943-1965; the St Albans Diocesan Council for Church Social Work, 1966-1976; and the St Albans Diocesan Council for Social Responsibility in 1976. In 1984 the Council for Social Responsibility was created a Board in its own right by Diocesan Synod and was detached from the Diocesan Board of Mission and Unity which had previously had oversight of it. It held its inaugural meeting in Feb 1985.

From about the 1900s local deanery associations of Preventive, Rescue and Peitentiary Work (later becoming Girls' Aid Associations, Moral Welfare Associations and later Social Work Associations to reflect the changes at Diocesan level) were established, primarily to assist unmarried mothers and also the rehabilitation of prisoners released on parole. By the 1960s seven of these local associations existed, maintaining shelters and Mother and Baby Homes.