London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
Day accommodation for children
Table (ii)—
| At 31 December | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | I960 | |
| DAY NURSERIES: | |||||
| Maintained | 86 | 81 | 76 | 75 | 74 |
| Grant-aided | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 91 | 86 | 81 | 79 | 78 |
| Places 0-2 | 1,775 | 1,747 | 1,690 | 1,693 | 1,649 |
| Places 2-5 | 3,368 | 2,988 | 2,631 | 2,499 | 2,420 |
| Total places | 5,143 | 4,735 | 4,321 | 4,192 | 4,069 |
| COUNCIL'S CHILD MINDER SCHEME | |||||
| (Voluntary registration): | |||||
| Child minders registered | 777 | 838 | 824 | 875 | 989 |
| Children minded | 886 | 954 | 973 | 1,039 | 1,187 |
| NURSERIES AND CHILD-MINDERS | |||||
| REGULATION ACT, 1948: | |||||
| Private day nurseries registered (including part-time nurseries) | 58 | 60 | 59 | 60 | 59 |
| Places | 1,646 | 1,701 | 1,742 | 1,620 | 1,595 |
| Child minders registered | 102 | 132 | 141 | 167 | 202 |
| No. of children authorised to be minded | 611 | 699 | 781 | 939 | 1,023 |
Occasional creches—These creches provide for the children of mothers attending a clinic
or class on the premises and also give occasional relief to mothers who, for various reasons
such as visits to hospitals, shopping, laundering and other domestic duties, wish to be
relieved of their young children for two or three hours during the day; they also present
an opportunity for the only child to associate with other children of similar age. During the
year the Council approved an extension of the service and at 31 December a total of 82
sessions a week was being held, providing for 1,420 child-attendances weekly.
Prevention of break-up of families
It was possible during the year to provide caseworkers to undertake the support and
intensive care of problem families in a sixth division. By 31 December nine full time social
caseworkers were undertaking this work in the county and nine assistant organisers were
working with one or two families each.
As in previous years, the Council made a grant to Family Service Units in London
towards the cost of their work with families in difficulty. The amount of the grant for the
financial year 1961/62 (divided equally between the Health and Children's committees) was
£12,715.
Home-making courses for selected mothers
During the year authority was given for an increase, where necessary, in the grants made
to voluntary committees providing home-making courses, to enable them to pay the
travelling expenses of voluntary workers minding the children of mothers attending the
classes, or to employ paid minders if suitable volunteers cannot be obtained.
Institute of Child Health
The Council, which is associated with the Institute in the running of Province of Natal
centre, Holborn, made a contribution of £5,000 towards the cost of the Institute's new
building on a site adjoining the centre.
59