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57
During the year one of the two private day nurseries provided by industrial undertakings
closed.
Childminders
The child-minders who are statutorily registered under the Act are persons—other
than relatives—who, for reward, look after during the day more than two children
under the age of five years from different households. Voluntary registered child-minders
are women who look after one or two children and voluntarily register with the Council,
receiving a weekly registration fee in return for which they are subject to inspection
by the Council. The number of child-minders, both statutorily and voluntarily registered,
together with the number of children looked after, are shown in the following table :
At 31 if December
1948 1949 1950 1951 1952
Number of child-minders statutorily registered .. 35 73 96 93 96
Number of children minded 243 501 570 604 504
Number of child-minders voluntarily registered .. 284 584 766 749 794
Number of children minded 323 579 834 840 856
The small variation in the numbers of registered child-minders since 1950 suggests
that the service has found its own level.
Children neglected or ill-treated in their own homes
After considering the joint circular from the Home Office, Ministry of Health and
Ministry of Education (78/50), the Council decided that the main objects of the circular
were being achieved under the Council's existing organisation. Measures were taken
in each of the health divisions to bring together the Council's officers and the officers
of other official and voluntary bodies interested in the welfare of children in their own
homes. The aim of these measures was to co-ordinate the efforts of all concerned sc
that neglect and ill-treatment might be prevented, or, if it had come to light too late,
suitably remedied. Neglect and ill-treatment often arise from the same conditions of
health and environment which produce juvenile delinquency and maladjustment and
form one great problem. An attempt to face the problem as a whole was planned ir
two health divisions by holding experimental conferences attended by all organisations
(voluntary or statutory) who are interested in or can help the children who live under
these conditions. These conferences were held early in 1952. Their main object was tc
examine the co-ordination which already existed between local organisations with
regard to (a) the welfare of parents and children (including the problem of the neglected
or ill-treated child) and (b) the prevention of juvenile delinquency. In particular, the)
were asked (i) to exchange information about the action taken by various agencies
(ii) to consider ways in which such action might be more closely co-ordinated, (iii) tc
consider whether, under the existing system, any particular aspect of a problem might
fail to be dealt with by local workers concerned, (iv) to consider whether it might be
desirable in some cases for one agency to help with the problem of a family when it
appeared that one visitor would make more progress than several. The conclusion:
reached at these conferences were considered by the appropriate committees of the
Council. In view of the real value of these conferences in bringing together all the
organisations and persons concerned, in reminding the voluntary organisations of what
each does and of the extent of the work done in the field by the Council's own services
and in making a broad survey of the problems of the locality, similar conferences an
being held in all health divisions.
It had been found in some health divisions that the maintenance of a central register
of problem families at the divisional health office was of real value. The Council':
officers and voluntary and other bodies had been asked to notify to the divisiona
health office cases with which they were dealing and which presented special problem:
for inclusion in a register for the information of other interested departments anc
organisations. Each voluntary organisation retained full discretion whether informatior
at their disposal should be passed on and the register does not involve building up;
dossier of confidential matters relating to the family. After due consideration it was