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As in previous years, because of their mothers' illness or other reasons, many children
had to be taken into care by the Children's Officer from homeless families units. In an
attempt to prevent the introduction of infection into nurseries and other residential establishments
the Public Health department advised on the placing of these children, many of
whom were contacts of infection up to the time of reception into care. During 1962 a
total of 419 children were placed in special units because of a history of contact with
infection. Of the 287 children under the age of five years, 44 (15 per cent.) developed the
infection for which they were placed in special accommodation, compared with only
eight cases (six per cent.) of infection amongst the remaining 132 children over the age of
five years.
A tendency towards this finding would be expected on general epidemiological grounds,
but previous analysis of experience with child contacts also showed that there is a higher
rate of infection amongst the under fives than is found amongst the children over five years
of age. In the light of this experience arrangements were made during 1962 for children
over the age of five years who have to be received into care from homeless families units
to be received directly into children's homes, provided that reasonable observation by
trained staff is maintained. So far there has been no increase in the amount of infection
introduced into the children's homes which would indicate that this scheme was other than
practicable.
Children under the age of five years and occasionally their older siblings, who are
admitted to contact accommodation have three rectal swabs examined following admission
to these special units. They remain there until they have outlived the quarantine period of
the infections with which they have been in contact.
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