View report page

43
Women already minding children together with those wishing to mind them were invited to
apply for registration on an official application form supplied by the Health Department. This form,
to be signed by the applicant, contains a statement that neither she nor any person over 16 years of
age living at the premises or any person employed or proposed to be employed in the house is
disqualified from taking a foster child under the Children's Act, or has had a child removed from their
care. In addition, each applicant submits a statement as to the health of these persons.
All applicants are visited by the assistant nursing officer and the new standards laid down by
the Department of Health and Social Security are applied. A general recommendation that no
woman without assistance should mind more than three children under the age of five years is a
sensible one, and the requirement to have another adult on call is also valuable. Difficulties arise in
the provision of outdoor play space and in the guarding of fires. In no instance will a prospective
child minder be registered until all fires with which a child may be in contact have been sufficiently
and safely guarded. If a minder is unable to afford or to obtain a suitable fireguard, the City Council
will provide one and recover the cost from the minder wherever possible.
In order to supplement the City Council's day nursery places (450) a scheme is in operation
whereby a retaining fee of £1 per week is payable to suitable child minders who mind not more than
3 children including their own under 5 years of age. These minders must agree to accept children
nominated by the Medical Officer of Health who are eligible for inclusion in the priority waiting list
for the day nurseries.
It must be emphasised that a good child minder can provide an excellent alternative to day
nursery care by taking children from the ages of 0-5 and by suiting her hours to the hours of the
mother's work.
A short pilot course for child minders was run in July, 1969, in conjunction with the Inner London
Pre-School Playgroups Association at one of their affiliated groups. This course proved useful in
giving minders ideas on the use of play materials; it is proposed to hold similar courses in the future,
including reference to children's diet as well as play facilities.
Pre-school playgroups
As in other parts of the country, interest is growing in the provision of playgroup facilities for
children aged 2-5 years, and there have been several enquiries from persons with plans to start new
groups in the near future. The City Council is pleased to assist in this matter and provides financial
support where necessary as well as advice in setting up and subsequently running the playgroup.
The Council provides financial support to playgroups run by the following bodies:—
Organisation No. of groups
City of Westminster Health Society 5
Save the Children Fund 2*
Westminster Council of Social Service 2
Inner London Pre-school Playgroups Association 2
(*Plus 2 playgroups in Welfare Department accommodation)
In addition, three playgroups are run directly by the City Council's Health Department in child
welfare centres.
Registration of persons and premises under the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation
Act 1948 as amended by section 60 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968
Following the former Health Committee's decision to increase the establishment to deal with the
extra work involved to comply with the amended Act, an assistant nursing officer and an administrative
assistant were appointed and commenced their duties in April, 1969. The following details
therefore cover the period April to December, 1969, and show the position at the end of the year:—
Child Minders
Under the original Act, 20 women were registered to mind 90 children. In addition, 32 women
each minding one or two children who were not required to be registered under the Act were
voluntarily registered with the City Council.
No. of applications received 161
No. of applications withdrawn 21