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34
Comments on accommodation will be found on page 28. The provision of
facilities by voluntary organisations is dealt with on page 32.
Child minders
There has been a marked increase in the number of child minders (formerly
known as "daily guardians") voluntarily registered since 5th July, 1948, there
being 276 at the end of the year compared with 150 ; most of the increase of over
80 per cent. occurred within the first three months. Each child minder so registered
is paid by the Council a registration fee of 6s. a week, payment for services actually
rendered being made direct by the parents of the children.
The foregoing paragraph does not relate to compulsory registrations under the
Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act, 1948, but to voluntary registrations by
child minders not covered by the provisions of that Act—i.e., those looking after less
than three children from different households. Child minders compulsorily registered
under the Act are paid no registration fee; 35 persons had been compulsorily
registered by the Council by 31st December, 1948.
Before being registered, every applicant has to satisfy the Council that she is a
suitable person to have the care of young children and that the premises to be used
are of an approved standard. The Council has the right of inspection of registered
premises at any time to ensure that there is no departure from the approved standard.
Residential Nurseries
At the end of 1947 there were 859 cots in the Council's nurseries and 733 children
were in residence.

At the close of the year 98 cots could not be used owing to quarantine or staff
shortages as against a comparable figure of 116 cots at the end of 1947.
The pressure on nursery accommodation was as acute as ever during the year
and to help the position it was decided to open Oakdale Residential Nursery, South
Holmwood, Surrey, a large house which the Council had acquired in January, 1948.
By extemporised arrangements as to equipment and children's lavatories and without
waiting for more extensive structural alterations, it was possible to bring the nursery
into limited use in the first week of May, 1948. At the end of the year there was
accommodation for 25 children in the nursery; 42 children will be accommodated
when the structural alterations are completed.
On 5th July, 1948, the Children Act came into force. This made new provision
for the children deprived of a normal home life who were dealt with under the Poor
Law until that was brought to an end on 5th July, 1948, by the National Assistance
Act, 1948, and put into effect the principal recommendations of the Report of the
(Curtis) Committee on the Care of Children. The Act required the appointment of a
Children's Committee, who would be responsible, inter alia, for the care of children
in residential nurseries, and of a Children's Officer. The Children's Committee was
set up by the Council on 30th November, 1948, and a Children's Officer appointed,