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The Council's proposal to open a fifth nursery in the
South Kensington area proceeded with difficulty, but it can now.
be reported that the consents of the Ministry of Health and the
London County Council have been obtained, and premises have been
acquired which will be suitably converted.
However, owing to difficulties of building labour and
materials, it is not likely that the fifth nursery will be opened
during 1947.
Registered Daily Guardians.
The scheme for the registration of daily guardians to care
for children for whom no place can be found in day nurseries was
continued during 1946. Under this scheme the Council make a
payment to the guardian, in addition to the mother's contribution,
of 6s.0d. per week for each child taken for four days or more per
week, and 3s.0d. for each child taken for less than four days
per week.
During the year, 15 guardians were placed on the register
and 32 children were cared for. The cost amounted to £116 9s. 0d.
At the end of the year, there were on the register 10
daily guardians who were caring for 12 children.

The Curtis Report on the Care of Children was reviewed by
the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and the Council in
accordance with the request of the Ministry of Health.
The principal criticisms in the Report dealt with
children's residential institutions, and these are not the direct
concern of the Borough Council. It was in the section dealing
with child life protection (foster children under the care of
private individuals), that the Borough Council are directly
concerned. The Curtis Committee recommended that the age of
foster children should be raised from nine to sixteen years, and
that all foster homes should be under supervision whether reward
was taken for the child or not.
As the welfare authority, the Council are at present
responsible under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, for
supervision of all foster children in the borough. The Act makes
provision for the protection of foster children under nine years
of age who are "nursed and maintained by any person for reward
apart from their parents, or having no parents". Any person
undertaking such nursing and maintenance for reward must notify
the Council before the child is received, not less than seven days
beforehand for the first child so received, and not less than 48
hours beforehand for any subsequent child. "Reward" includes
money or money's worth and is irrespective of profit. A person
maintaining a foster child must give at least seven days' notice
of any change of residence. Notice must be given within 24 hours
of the death of a foster child or his removal.