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that the placing of the child is necessary to assist in its support,
that any mother desirous of placing her child in a nursery by
reason of her employment must be employed for at least 30 hours each
week.
Certain categories are regarded as priorities and where others
are admitted when vacancies permit, children in the non-priority groups
may have to be withdrawn.
The day nursery service is not a free one and the full charge
is 15s. 6d. per day. The majority of those making application are
unable to pay this amount and can therefore be assessed on their
income. A Day Nursery Panel is appointed by the Area Health
Committee each year to deal with appeals against assessments, refusal
to admit and other matters.
There are a great many enquiries regarding the possibility of
day nursery admission from all sections of the public. Some of
these realise the difficulty of securing a vacancy and make other
arrangements. Those accepted for admission are encouraged to visit
the nursery of their choice with the child before the date of admission.
This is in order that the mother may see the nursery matron to
discuss details with her and to give the child an opportunity of seeing
and mixing with the children before the appointed day.
Training of Nursery Nurses
All three day nurseries are approved as training nurseries by
the Ministry of Health. Six student nursery nurses are appointed
each year and attend the Tottenham Technical College on two days each
week during term time for theory and further education. Practical
training is given at other times in the nurseries.
Handicapped Children in Day Nurseries
Five handicapped children have attended Stonecroft Day Nursery,
Hornsey, during the year. Two are partially deaf (one of these a
child of deaf mutes), one has multiple handicaps (is blind, deaf and
retarded), one other 1s mentally retarded and the fifth was a child
who had motor limitation of one side due to poliomyelitis.
Only two of these fit into the local authority's provision for
the admission of handicapped children. These two are the partially
deaf children.
Attendances
The overall attendances during the year show an increase above
those in the two previous years of 1959 and 1960, and more children
in the 2-5 year age group have been accommodated during 1961 than
those in the 0-2 years group. The reason for the latter seems to be
that vacancies offered in the younger age group have not always been
taken up.
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