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48
Colleges for Further Education. 28 students passed the N.N.E.B. examination
during the year, the majority remaining for at least a short period as Staff
Nursery Nurses and four were accepted for teacher or nurse training. The student
teachers often give welcome help during their vacations.
As in previous years it was possible for some staff to go on refresher and
other courses. These were greatly appreciated and of benefit since they provided
stimulation and new ideas, and gave the opportunity for discussion with
colleagues from similar establishments.
Two matrons attended the Annual Conference of the National Association
of Nursery Matrons at Brighton, when the subject of the Plowden Report was
discussed.
Because of the difficulty in obtaining good domestic staff in the nurseries
in Central Lambeth, a night cleaning service was introduced initially to two
and later to a third nursery. This worked well relieving matrons the responsibility
of engaging staff and of the necessity, on occasion, of using nursing staff
for domestic duties.
The Town Hall Catering Staff was most helpful in providing suitable meals
when one nursery was without a cook for three months.
Many minor improvements have been carried out to day nurseries, including
the provision of additional toilet accommodation and heating improvements at
Chestnut Nursery, extensions to the balcony enclosures at Coldharbour Lane and
the re-paving of part of the grass area at Coral Nursery as a play space. At
Cowley Nursery a new babies nursery and bathroom have been formed, new bed
storage units provided and a newboiler installed. Heating improvements have
also been provided at the Cynthia Mosely Nursery.
CHILD MINDING
In November 1968 The Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968,
Section 60, amended the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948 so
that it became necessary for all child minders who receive for reward one child
or more for more than two hours during the day to be registered with the Council.
Formerly those minding one or two children were not required to register.
The amendments increase the power for Local Health Authorities to refuse
registration of unsatisfactory minders; and enable them to fix the maximum number
of children to be received into a home; to make requirements concerning the
number, qualification and experience of the people who look after the children;
to enforce satisfactory maintenance of premises; to enforce safety and fire
precautions; to require the keeping of records and the making of satisfactory
arrangements for feeding the children. Increased maximum penalties for offences
are also provided.