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of children who received the full course from the Council's medical staff was 27,305,
bringing up to 43,089 the total of children immunised in schools by the school medical
staff since the issue in November, 1940, of a circular on this subject from the
Ministry of Health and the Board of Education. Much heavy work has been thrown
upon the teaching and attendance staff, etc., of the education officer's department,
and the thanks of the service are due to them for the results achieved.
Play corners and play centres
As from 1st April, 1941, the Council undertook, as a temporary arrangement,
the organisation of the play corners and play centres originally established by the
Children's Play Centres Fund. Play corners were organised for children under
school age, and were available for the most part during school hours. Play centres
were provided for evening use for the needs of school children.
Both types assumed importance in view of the drafting into war and similar
industries of mothers, who were thus given some assurance that their children were
kept under supervision.
At the end of 1942, there were 18 play corners, with 600 children on the rolls
and an average daily attendance of 550. These "pre-school" children are supplied
on the premises with mid-morning milk and cod-liver oil and dinners, and are
medically inspected on lines adopted for the smaller pre-war nursery schools, viz.,
a three-monthly inspection by the Council's medical staff and a daily visit by one
of the Council's school nursing sisters. All facilities for medical treatment, and
cleansing and infectious disease control are provided on the usual lines applicable
in the Council's school medical service.
These play corners will, as circumstances permit, be organised as war-time
nursery classes and attached to an infants' department in a neighbouring school.
These war-time nursery classes are in addition to the war-time nurseries
organised in London by the Borough Councils for the care of children under five
whose mothers are on war work.
At the end of the year there were 100 play centres, at which 12,000 school
children attended each evening. Tea is provided for those who require it. and at
three of the centres, at the request of the Ministry of Labour and National Service,
breakfasts are supplied to children who attend the centres before the normal
school hours. Visits are made to the play centres after school hours by the school
medical staff.