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CHARGES AND ASSESSMENT SCALES FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES
During the year the London Boroughs Association considered the report of a Working Party
set up to consider the calculation of charges levied for certain Health, Children and Welfare
Services, and the abatement of these charges where appropriate by means of assessment scales.
The Association after making certain amendments commended the report to the London Boroughs as
a memorandum of advice and guidance.
Following consideration of the matter by the Council's Co-ordinating Committee for Social
Services and the other relevant Committees, certain amendments were made to the proposals and
the amended scheme was adopted by the Council, the consequent revised charges and assessment
scales to come into operation on 1st April 1968. The general principle of the revised scheme
is that the standard charge for any particular service for which a charge is required to be
made should be the full unsubsidised cost, and if the applicant cannot afford to pay the
standard charge the contribution made by him should be computed on his means.
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 unit 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 undertaking 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 73 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, or during a mother's confinement: 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, or whose husbands are totally disabled or in prison, provided
the mother works at least 35 hours a week.
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.
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