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Staffing problems of day nurseries still remain acute, particularly with regard to the
categories of nursery assistants and students. As will be seen on page 137 the turnover of
staff for the year was 29. In connection with the Government's Urban programme of expenditure
in areas of special social need, mentioned elsewhere in this Report, one of the recommendations
made by the Council was that higher salaries than those prescribed by the Nurses and Midwives
Council be paid to day nursery staff in special areas. The Nurses and Midwives Council stated
that they could not agree to this course of action.
The Council's Heal th and Welfare Service Development Programme provides for the construction
of a purpose-built Day Nursery in 1970/1971, at an estimated cost of £93,660, to replace a
pre-fabricated nursery the lease of which expires in 1971.
Private day nurseries and pre-school playgroups of which there are 12 in the borough
(maximum capacity 235 children), are subject to registration and inspection by the Council
under the provisions of the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act 1948. Four additional
playgroups were registered during the year providing accommodation for 67 children, (Statistics
on page 96).
FAMILY PLANNING
Family planning sessions are conducted on behalf of the Council by the Family Planning
Association at three of the Council's Clinic Centres, 460 sessions being held during the year.
In addition, commencing this year, a weekly session staffed by one of the Council's Sessional
Assistant Medical Officers and a Health Visitor is operated at another clinic centre. Also
commencing this year, the Council now provides a domiciliary service particularly for families
with multiple, social, or other handicaps.
This year new patients numbered 950, an increase of 52% over 1966 and nearly 200% over
1965. (Statistics on page 99).
FEEDING DIFFICULTIES
Facilities are provided at acentre outside the borough for in-patient treatment of mothers
and babies when breast feeding difficulties are experienced or of babies with dietary problems.
No children were accommodated at the centre during the year.
HEALTH EDUCATION
Two interesting factors emerged last year while following the pattern of health education
originally laid down.
Firstly, the long-term contact and good personal relationships established through school
discussion groups have added a new facet of prevention which can be fulfilled by the work of
the section, i.e. that young persons who have left school have come back to health education
assistants for social work referral when in need.
Secondly, the many invitations to speak on the uses of health education work rather than
how to do it, to teachers, social workers and others, have shown that the image of health
education as a systematic technique of communication has finally been accepted, and that it
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