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'Observation' and 'Handicap' Registers
At the end of last year the number in the 'observation' register was 1, 603.
These registers are kept at clinics,where children can be called up for periodic
assessment and from where health visitors can maintain supervisory visits in the
home. There is always a danger of the registers becoming so grossly inflated
that the value of follow-up where needed is lost in a plethora of unnecessary
recordings. Selection and pruning is essential so that the list is maintained
in a viable state and of use to workers engaged in follow-up studies. With
some trepidation an attempt has been made to decide which persons should be
removed from the register: the total now stands at approximately 1,400.
Screening surveys continue to help in the detection of those conditions likely
to be missed by the routine 'at risk' selection procedure; for example,
phenylketonuria.
The 'Handicap' register comprised 229 cases made up as follows:-
Physically handicapped 116
Mentally retarded 54
Blind (Registered) 4
Visual defects 15
Speech defects 11
Pits 11
Diabetic 1
Deaf 17
Day Nurseries
There are four non-residential day nurseries in the Borough operated by
the Council, providing places for a maximum of 210 children under 5 years of
age. In one of the nurseries there is a special unit for the care of mentally
handicapped infants for whom transport is provided. The aim of this service
is to provide relief for the parents, particularly the mother, rather than to
afford her the opportunity of going out to work.
Two of the day nurseries are classified as training nurseries and provide
practical training facilities for student nursery nurses undertakine courses
for the examination of the Nursery Nurses Examination Board.
In addition the Council has a claim on 25 places at a voluntary day nursery
in respect of which an annual grant is made to the voluntary body concerned.
The Council's nurseries are staffed by 75 persons, which include matrons and
nursing and domestic staff.
Children are admitted to the nurseries in the following circumstances :-
First priority is given to cases where the mother is in ill-health and
cannot adequately care for the children; where living conditions are detrimental
to health or where it is considered desirable for the health of the child that
it should be admitted to a nursery; where mothers are required to work because
they are widows, unmarried, separated or divorced.
27.