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requiring persons other than relatives minding one or more children for
two hours, or an aggregate of two hours, to apply for registration by
the local health authority resulted in a considerable increase in the number
of applications received by the Department,
The position at the end of the year was as follows, the number of
approved places/children being shown in brackets
Registered Premises Registered Persons
4 (62) 177 (466)
As a result of the 1968 Act, the necessity for the voluntary registration
scheme ceased and the final payments were made on 31st. January,
1969. The effect of the legislation was that 136 additional persons,
authorised to mind 256 children, were statutorily registered during the
year.
A nursing officer became responsible for the initial assessment of
all applicants thus ensuring a common standard. Health Visitors pay followup
visits to all registered minders.
Play Groups
The number of playgroups in the Borough has increased to fourteen,
and a great deal of advice and professional support has been given by the
nursing officers and health visitors. Parents continue to participate in
the activity of the playgroups which offer excellent facilities in the
way of constructive play for their children.
Observation and Handicap Register
Babies are considered to be at risk of developing a handicap by reason
of adverse factors occurring 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 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.
Observation Register
669 (980) cases born in 1969 were notified of whom 4 (7) had been
transferred to the handicap register by 31st December, 1969.
Handicap Register
The table below is an analysis of notifications in 1969 and relates
to children born in that year. 109 (103) cases were placed on the register,
of whom 4(7) had been transferred from the observation register. 12 (17)
had been notified through the scheme for reporting malformations at birth.
9 (10) were subsequently removed from the register due to change of address
or death.
Table over
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