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Residential schools and homes
In accordance with the Memorandum prepared by the Home Office on Conduct of
Children's Homes the Public Health Department takes responsibility for the health of
the children in residential schools and other establishments under the management of
the Children's Committee. There were six residential establishments at the end of the
year with accommodation for 2,378, four approved schools with a total accommodation
of 428, two remand homes with accommodation for 142 children, and a number of
other smaller establishments—reception centres, small homes, family homes and aftercare
hostels. At the large establishments a visiting medical officer, appointed by the
Council, attended at least once very week. His duties include the medical examination
of children on admission and on discharge or transfer and in addition he gives each
child a complete physical examination once a year. During 1955 4,690 medical examinations
were held. The visiting medical officer is also the children's ' family doctor'
under the National Health Service Act. Periodic visits were made by senior medical
and nursing officers from County Hall. Arrangements were made for the dental treatment
of the children, and visits were made by the Council's psychiatrists.
Bed-time for schoolchildren
The importance of adequate sleep to the growing child has been emphasised over many
years and the problem of how to persuade parents of that importance and of their
duty to see that their children get adequate sleep has always been well in the minds of
education authorities. In 1918 a pamphlet was printed and issued by the Council urging
on parents the importance of early bed-times for children. In 1937 following consideration
of the problem by the Central Consultative Committee of Head Mistresses of
Girls' Schools, this pamphlet was completely redesigned. Heads of all schools were
asked in 1938 to distribute copies to the eldest child of each family in the school so
that every family received a copy; and a supply of the pamphlet (slightly amended
from time to time) has been available since then to all schools on requisition. The 1938
pamphlet received wide publicity in the press and several other authorities asked for
copies with a view to their distributing similar pamphlets.
The Central Council for Health Education has also published a pamphlet on the
importance of sleep and this has been placed on the schools requisition list. The
requisition rate in 1955 was about 19,000. The pamphlet is revised from time to
time.
The report of the Education district inspector's enquiry suggested that these troubles
cannot, however, be put down entirely to the watching of television programmes.
This view is confirmed by information supplied by the British Broadcasting Corporation
from the findings of an audience research survey of nearly 3,000 homes :
5-7-year old—' There is, however, little or no evidence to suggest that children
of this age group go to bed later in T.V. than in non-T.V. homes.'
8-11-year old—' It seems that on weekdays 8-11's in T.V. homes stayed up,
on the average, about a quarter of an hour later than did those in non-T.V. homes.'
12-15-year old—' There was no great difference between the bed-times of 12-15's
in T.V. and non-T.V. homes, but boys seemed to stay up a little later than girls.'
Through the years, various attractions and habits have been blamed as being the
cause of children going later to bed than they should. For example, in the early part of
the century, children awaited parents who were in public houses, then it was ' summertime'
and the cinema; 'double summer-time'; the radio; exhibitions such as the
speedway, and now television. In some homes shortage of accommodation is no doubt
one reason for children going late to bed. In the past, the problem has been thought
to be mainly, though by no means wholly, one of the summer months when children
are reluctai.: to return home to go to bed whilst it is still daylight. However the responsibility
must be with the parents for seeing that their children get adequate sleep. If an
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