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In addition there are the second and third priority categories,for children
whose mothers are compelled to go to work as an economic necessity, and where
vacancies are not required in the other priority classes,for children whose
parents are both working,provided that the mother is employed 35 hours a week.
Private day nurseries,of which there are 4 in the Borough (maximum capacity
115 children), are subject to registration and inspection by the Council
under the provisions of the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act 1945
(Statistics on page 90 ).
Child Minders
Anyone looking after more than two children for payment for a fair part of
the day must register with the Council under the provisions of the Nurseries
and Child Minders Regulation Act 1948. There is also a system of voluntary
registration of persons caring for less than 3 children.Lists of child-minders
and day nurseries are available on application to the Health Department. At
the end of the year there were 7 statutory and 63 voluntary child-minders.
Creches
Children can be placed in creches for an afternoon at many of the infant
welfare centres by mothers who wish to attend the mothers'club or sewing class
at the centre or who have hospital appointments.
No charge is made where the mother is attending a centre activity but a
charge of l/9d. per session is made if the mother wishes to leave her child
there whilst she attends to shopping or other domestic duties.
Creches provide facilities for mothers to be relieved of their children for
two or three hours during the day; they also provide an opportunity for an only
child to associate with other children of the same age.
Nationally one understands there is an urgent demand for day nursery places
by mothers who go out to work. It has even been argued that increased productivity
will require mobilisation of woman-power which can only be made available
by an expansion of day nursery/creche facilities. It should be stressed that
the Council's existing service is more than adequate to cope with the defined
first priority groups for whom the day nursery service is now principally
maintained. To date it has not been central government policy to encourage
expansion to meet the needs of other groups.Even today, one would have thought
that ideal child care and development required the presence of the mother at
home under ordinary circumstances.If mothers of young children are to be urged,
or encouraged to go out to work then creche facilities provided at their place
of work would seem to be most suitable. Experience of this approach in the
area, namely by a firm providing creche services for its workers so that women
would seek employment with them, was not a success.
28.