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14.
DAY NURSERES.
The number of Day Nurseries and the provision for children remained
the same as in the previous year.
Certain developments of preventive medicine and social service are
beyond criticism, others are not so universally accepted as being beneficial
to the public health. Amongst the provisions which have given rise to the
most acute controversy is the desirability or otherwise of providing day
nurseries, particularly for the very young. Critics quote the risk of
infection which occurs from the congregation of numbers of very young
children; the psychological effect of withdrawing the very young child from
its mother for a long period each day and the fact that young children are
taken to and from the nurseries in the cold and darkness of a winter morning
and evening. These criticisms are well founded, but regard must be had to
other considerations, e.g.
a. the continuing needs for women in industry
b. the financial position of some of the homes
c. the opportunity which the child enjoys in
forming good habits in cleanliness and social mixing
d. the opportunity of regular medical supervision.
It is probable that the ultimate ideal to be aimed at is the provision of
nursery schools for children over two years of age, thus leaving the young
child in his natural environment.
Training of Student Nurses.
As well as providing a homo for the young child during the day the Nursery
has been of great assistance in providing a training ground for women who
want to make child care their career.
The Nurseries are staffed by a Matron, S.R.N., a Deputy Matron,
Nursery-trained, several Nurses also Nursery-trained, and Probationers, or
Student Nurses. All the Nurseries have been passed by the National Society
of Children's Nurseries as training schools for their examination and they
are open to the National Society of Children's Nurseries Inspector at any
time. These Inspectors, as well as giving advice about the Nursery, advise
about the training of the students in up-to-date methods. Mr. Walls,
Principal of the Hendon Technical College has been of groat assistance in