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71
Day
nurseries
The number of nursing and ancillary child care staff employed in day nurseries numbered
(at the end of the year) 1,273, and included matrons, deputy matrons, nursery nurses,
wardens, nursery assistants and students. At any time during the year there were 290
nursery students undergoing a two years' training in preparation for admission to the
examination of the National Nursery Examination Board. This included those who
received special instruction in the care of the child under six months in order to apply for
an endorsement of their N.N.E.B. certificate in infant care.
The supply of nursery students varies from one division to another. Since the
number of approved training nurseries has been reduced it is possible to make a more
suitable selection from available candidates. A number of experienced nursery nurses
and nursery assistants have been referred for further training in Supplementary and
Senior Child Care Reserve courses arranged by the Education Department prior to
appointment as nursery wardens.
The ratio of non-domestic staff to children is 1 : 3 and 1 : 8 for children aged 0-2
and 2-5 years, respectively, based on the number of approved places in each of these
age groups, with a relaxation of this standard in day nurseries catering for children
aged 2-5 years only, subject to the over-riding consideration that in no day nursery
shall there be fewer than five places for children of all ages to one unit of non-domestic
staff. The ratio of nursery students to staff places in the Council's maintained and grantaided
training day nurseries is 2 : 1.
Residential
nurseries
The medical officer of health remains responsible for the staffing of five of the larger
residential nurseries under the Children's Committee accommodating a preponderance
of children under two years of age. This includes the recruitment, selection and training
of nursery students. During 1952, the recruitment of junior grades of staff has considerably
eased because qualified nursery nurses are available in increasing numbers, but
senior grades capable of undertaking responsibility for the 24-hour care of young
children are in short supply. It has been necessary to engage State Registered Nurses
without previous nursery experience from nursing agencies to fill senior vacancies and
this is not regarded as satisfactory.