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67
given to all the staff who have maintained the service even during
very difficult periods but it has been a great strain, especially on
senior staff. From time to time it has unfortunately been necessary
to restrict admissions until the staffing situation has improved.
The increase in the number of nursery students from 14 to 21
last September has eased the situation in our training nurseries and
should eventually lead to an increase in trained staff available.
There have been outbreaks of infectious diseases from time to
time but most of the children are very healthy and normally have
only mild attacks of illness. These infectious diseases have a considerable
nuisance effect as they cause delay in the admission of
new children to the nurseries.
Private day nurseries and child-minders
At the end of 1967 there were 44 private day nurseries with
registered places for 1,000 children, 39 statutorily registered childminders
with places for 247 children, and five voluntarily registered
child-minders with places for 10 children. All three categories of
minders are regularly visited by the Council's medical staff and
health visitors, and advice is given on child care, immunization,
general health supervision and the training of young children.
Adoption and boarding-out
Medical advice is sought by the Children's Officer whenever a
child in care is being considered for adoption or boarding-out.
During the year fourteen cases were agreed to be suitable for
adoption and eleven were found suitable for boarding out. In
addition, medical advice was sought in respect of 34 prospective
adopters.
Health Surveys
As in previous years, the Health Department has assisted whereever
possible in surveys promoted by the Greater London Council
and various independent organizations.
Details of some of these are set out below : —
Schizophrenic illness after childbirth
In 1962 the Consultant Psychiatrist at Downview and Banstead
Hospitals asked for help in assessing the long-term results of the
hospitals' mother-and-baby unit which provides treatment for this
illness. The immediate results of treatment were said to be very
good and the inquiry was intended to discover the later effects on
the mother's health and the health of the family as a whole.
For this the hospital required the opinion of the health visitor and
it was proposed that a member of the hospital staff should interview
the mother at yearly intervals. For each of the patients from
Downview and Banstead Hospitals, a report on a control family
was required.
Three cases were referred to this Authority during the year.