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22
Occasional Creches
The number of weekly occasional creche sessions provided at
health centres and at which children can be cared for while their
mothers attend hospitals or clinics or do their shopping, etc, was
increased by seven during the year to a total of 34.
The total number of sessions held during the year was 1,440 and
total attendances 17,880 compared with 1,279 and 17,746 respectively
in 1969.
Private Day Nurseries, Child-Minders and Play Groups
Another year of implementation of Section 60 of the Health Services
and Public Health Act (1968) (which amended certain provisions of the
Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948) has now been
experienced, and the following table shows the continuing increase in
the provision made for day care in the private sector.
Number of registered Day Nurseries
at 31st December 46 ( 4l)
Number of places 1,160 (l,005)
Number of child-minders registered
at 31st December 108 ( 72)
Number of children authorised 257 ( 182)
During the year there were numerous individual enquiries, all of
which needed visiting, although not all were subsequently found suitable
for registration. Supervision was maintained and advice and support
given to those providing regular day care.
Subsidised child-minder scheme
This scheme, approved by the Council as a result of proposals
contained in the Department of Health and Social Security Circular
37/68, has been continued. The Council pays the day care charge for
children who are placed with registered child-minders, up to 15s (75p)
per day, for those in the priority care groups. Parents contribute
towards this charge on the same basis as if the children were
accommodated in a Council day nursery. At the end of the year there
were 7 children placed under this scheme, six with child-minders, one
in a private day nursery.
Adoption and Boarding-Out of Children
Adoption
Persons proposing to adopt children are required to submit medical
certificates as to their health before a child is placed with them.
These certificates are verified by the Council's medical officers before
consent is given.
Similarly, the medical records of the children to be adopted are
scrutinised and the Children's Officer advised on the child's
suitability for adoption.
Should the reports reveal any medical defects, inheritable disease
or handicap in the child, further enquiries are made and, in the case of
inheritable disease in the natural parents, the prospective parents are
interviewed by their own practitioner.