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Attendances at the Child Health Centres of children up to 5 years of age totalled 42,932
(47,039).
Day Nurseries
The pressure on day nursery places continued to increase and despite shortage of nursery
nurses 83,683 attendances were made during the year, (77,650 in 1966), although due to staff
shortage it was necessary to restrict admissions.
To increase the number of trained nursery nurses the number of training places was raised
from 16 to 24.
This Council has continued the practice of admitting into day nurseries, on a part-time
basis, deaf and partially-hearing young children, and children of deaf or partially-hearing parents.
A unit for 9 mentally handicapped children has been full throughout the year, and transport
was provided where there were any travelling difficulties. 1993 attendances were made
during the year, (1126 in 1966). The unit has attracted a large number of visitors from this
country and from overseas.
Child Minders . The Nurseries and Child-Minder's Regulation Act, 1948
The following table shows the number of premises and persons registered under the Act,
and the number of places shown in brackets:-
No. of registered premises No. of registered persons
No. of places shown in brackets No. of children provided for shown in brackets
5 (82) 20 (98)
Borough Child Minder's Scheme
The Borough's Scheme provides for the approval of minders giving daily care in their own
homes to not more than two children from different households. Minders so approved may claim a
fee of 6s.Od. a week. At 31st December, 1967, 41 minders were receiving this fee; they were then
minding 62 children.
Occasional Creches
The occasional creche has proved invaluable to many parents in the Borough and 402
(293) sessions were held at 3 centres. The total attendances were 4481(4711).
Playgroups
Playgroups continued to provide supervised and constructive corporate activities for
children in the 3-5 years age group. There were eight groups by the end of the year. The
persons responsible for the five newly-opened groups were visited an d advised about the conduct
of the Groups and Health Visitors continued to keep in close touch with them.
Observation and Handicap Register
Babies are considered to be at risk of developing handicaps if they are adversely affected
during pregnancy, labour, or the lying-in period, and the names of such children are entered in
the observation register. This register is scrutinised at regular periods by a senior medical
officer so that the child's progress and development may be kept under review. Should a handicap
become evident, the child's name is transferred to the handicap register.
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