London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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All children offered for adoption or boarding-out are medically examined either
by the visiting medical officer of a residential establishment or by a family doctor, and
blood reports are obtained. Their prospective adopters may be interviewed by a medical
officer where the family background or the medical history may require special consideration
before a child can be placed satisfactorily. Advice is also given, if requested,
on the suitability on medical grounds of prospective adopters to adopt a child.
566 (642) children were referred by the Children's Officer for opinion as to their suitability on medical grounds for adoption and boarding-out. 2 (3) children were considered unfit and the remainder were grouped as follows :
| (1) Referred for adoption : | 185 (203) | |
| 158 (178) | ||
| (b) Fit for adoption subject to certain provisions | 7 (7) | |
| (c) Unfit for adoption but fit for boarding-out | 14 (17) | |
| 4 (1) | ||
| (e) Withdrawn by Children's Officer | 2 | |
| (2) Referred for boarding-out : | 379 (436) | |
| 375 (434) | ||
| (b) Withdrawn by Children's Officer | 4 (2) |
The figures in brackets are those for 1954.
Child life
protection
By arrangement with the Children's Officer responsibility has been continued tor
duties under Part XIII of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, as amended by Part V
of the Children Act, 1948. The visiting of foster children and the inspection of premises
in which the children are living is undertaken by health visitors designated as ' child
protection visitors
As at the end of 1954, 647 children were being supervised under these arrangements
at the end of the year, 734 receptions and 734 removals being notified during 1955.
Day nurseries and occasional creches
Day
nurseries
Since 1951 it has been the Council's general policy to maintain day nursery provision
substantially at the level then obtaining, subject to constant review of the actual need
for places for children coming within the limits of the scheme of priorities laid down
for admission. Where possible, in the course of this review, any redundancy of accommodation
has been met by the amalgamation of nurseries.
The number of maintained and grant-aided day nurseries and the total number ot places provided at 31st December, 1955, and a comparison with the previous year are given in the following tables :
| Number of day nurseries at 31st December. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maintained | Grant-aided | Total | ||||
| 1954 | 100 | 5 | 105 | |||
| 1955 | 94 | 5 | 99 | |||
| 0-2 years | 1,956 | 1,853 | 50 | 50 | 2,006 | 1,903 |
| 2-5 years | 3,690 | 3,523 | 154 | 154 | 3,844 | 3,677 |
| 5,646 | 5,376 | 204 | 204 | 5,850 | 5,580 | |
The loss of places due to the closure of six maintained day nurseries during 1955
was partly offset by the accommodation at two others being increased by 51 places.
The net loss was 270 places.
The number of training day nurseries at the end of the year was 56 (54 maintained
and 2 grant-aided).
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