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Younger physically handicapped children require a similar
service in Day Nurseries or Nursery classes and Nursery Schools.
As described above, the Council's sponsorship scheme at private
Day Nurseries has been extended, but a welcome advance was the
establishment of a small nursery group for a number of 4-year-old
children at Charlton Park School for the Physically Handicapped.
Certain seriously physically handicapped children find difficulty
in intergrating with normal children in free play activities outside
school hours. In order to meet the needs of one of these groups,
the Social Worker (School Health) at the Beverley School for the
Deaf organised a twice-weekly Play Centre at the School during the
Summer holiday. This Play Centre was staffed by two Social
Workers (School Health) aided by parent volunteers and they
enabled 22 junior school children to enjoy constructive play
activities in safety. The venture was a great success and we hope
it may prove to be the forerunner of a similar scheme for certain
other special groups.
Child-Minders and Private Day Nurseries
In accordance with Section 60 of the Health Services and Public
Health Act, 1968, which amended the Nurseries and Child Minders
Regulation Act of 1948, the formidable task of visiting, advising
and, in most cases recommending for registration those applicants
who wished to mind children in their own homes and those prepared
to establish private day nurseries and play groups was
pursued with determination.
Before registration all premises and persons are visited by a
senior Nursing Officer and Public Health Inspector and "follow-upr'
inspections are regularly made by medical and nursing personnel.
A large number of children throughout the Borough are now
enjoying pre-school activities although in some areas such as
Plumstead the need for more play groups remains acute.
Each month approximately 2 applications are being received
from prospective Play Group leaders and an average of 8 to 10
for registration as Child Minders.