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Day care of children under five
The Council provides day nurseries and occasional creches under Section 22 of the
National Health Service Act, 1946, and has a duty under the Nurseries and Child Minders
Regulation Act, 1948 (as amended by the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968)
to register and supervise persons undertaking the daily minding of children and premises
in which children are received for day care.
Day Nurseries
There are six day nurseries in the borough and the demand for places is such that a
system of priorities governing admission is in operation (APPENDIX A). Priority is given
to those children whose mothers have to go out to work through economic necessity or
are unable through ill-health to care adequately for their children, and to children whose
home conditions are detrimental to their health and welfare.
Charges arc made according to the parents' ability to pay but only a nominal charge
for meals is made in respect of certain groups of children who are admitted on a part-time
basis. These groups include children with a hearing defect or speech retardation and children
in need of hearing environment because their parents are deaf. In addition, special
units to accommodate severely sub-normal children are attached to three day nurseries.
Certain other handicapped children are admitted free of charge on the recommendationof
a case conference.
Two new day nurseries were opened during the year to replace nurseries in old and
unsatisfactory buildings. Merryfield Day Nursery, Sultan Street, S.E.5., was opened on
22 April to replace Wyndham Day Nursery, Wyndham Road, S.E.5., and Lympstone Day
Nursery, Lympstone Gardens, S.E.15., was opened on 1 October to replace Peckham Park
Day Nursery, Peckham Park Road, S.E.15.
Number of day nurseries at 31 December, 1968 6
Number of places 341
Number of special unit places 30
Total attendances during 1968 69,568
Total attendances at special units during 1968 3,788
Occasional creches
Creches are provided at five of the Council's centres, at one voluntary centre and at
one church hall, for the minding of young children while their mothers take part in centre
activities, attend clinics, visit hospital or attend to shopping and other domestic duties.
The charge is 3 shillings per session, abatable in necessitous cases, although no charge is
made when the parent attends hospital or a centre activity. Where two or more children
from one family attend, the charge is one shilling and sixpence for the second and subsequent
children.
Number of sessions during 1968 925
Total attendances during 1968 17,614
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