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48
Heavy work has again been thrown upon the teaching and attendance staff,
etc., of the education officer's department, and the thanks of the service are due to
them for the results achieved.
Child guidance
Reference was made in the last report to the decision of the Education Committee
that, in order to ensure that "problem" children should at the earliest moment
be given appropriate help, a conference of officers should be established as an
experiment for one year in each of the nine educational divisions. The conferences
began in June, and, although the procedure was disturbed by the flying bomb
attack, some progress was made in the "sifting" of children nominated for
consideration.
All children recommended for child guidance treatment by these case conferences
must receive the formal concurrence of the school medical officer before being officially
referred to child guidance clinics. In respect of each child so referred to voluntary
child guidance clinics, payments are made to the clinic at the rate of 15s. for the
first visit, and 5s. for each subsequent visit. Between 1st April and 31st December,
the Council accepted financial liability on this basis for 203 children.
Teaching of mothercraft in schools
It has been the practice, for many years, for instruction in mothercraft to be
given in the Council's schools as part of the course in domestic science, stress being
particularly laid upon the care of the toddler rather than the young baby.
During the latter part of the year, following discussion with the Education
Officer's department, it was decided to give more specific instruction to older girls
in the care and routine of the babe. A comprehensive syllabus was drawn up,
talks were arranged ranging from the objects of mothercraft through the routine
care and feeding of, to the physical and mental development of, the child, with a
final talk on the social services available for the mother and child.
The course comprises twelve lectures, each of about 40 minutes, with added
time for practical demonstration and discussion. The lecturers were school nursing
sisters with special experience. Courses were given in five central schools and
were an unqualified success.
It is proposed to extend these courses to more schools when staff becomes
available.
War-time nurseries, play corners and play centres
All play corners but one have now been converted into war-time nursery classes
attached to nearby infants' schools.
At the end of 1944, there were 16 war-time nursery classes, and one play corner
providing for an average attendance of 350 children. All the children are supplied
on the premises with mid-morning milk, cod-liver oil, orange juice, and dinners,
and a number at war-time nursery classes also have breakfast and tea.
All facilities for medical treatment and cleansing and infectious disease control
are provided on the usual lines in the Council's school medical service ; and the
children in the classes are medically inspected on lines adopted for the smaller
pre-war nursery schools.
At the end of the year, there were 98 evening play centres attended each evening
by some 10,000 school children. Tea is provided at 67 of these centres and in
addition 6 play centres open before morning school, providing breakfasts for 65
children a day.
War-time nursery classes and play centres are provided primarily for children
whose mothers are at work.