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Day Nurseries and one to work as a private Nanny.
In September Mrs, Cunningham left and her place as Deputy Matron was
taken by Mrs. Shepherd.
Mrs. Maddison retired in December 1969, after 24 years as Matron of
Goresbrook Nursery. A farewell party was held for her in the Nursery at
which many friends and colleagues attended. Mrs. Shepherd was subsequently
appointed Matron.
The year ended with the usual Christmas festivities - a Sale of Work,
Nativity Play and Party for the children and parents.
PLAY THERAPY
Play therapy groups continued during the year at Julia Engwell, Oxlow
Lane and Thames View Clinics, and at Northbury Infants' School. A total of
90 children attended the groups and benefited from playing and forming
relationships with each other under the guidance of the play therapy staff.
Attendance at the individual groups was as follows:-
Julia Engwell Clinic - 26 children including 2 mentally backward, 2 with
hearing difficulties and one child who would not mix with others.
Oxlow Lane Clinic - 21 children, including 2 with speech defects and 3
mentally backward.
Thames View Clinic - 20 children including 3 with speech defects, one
very nervous child and one with a behaviour problem.
Northbury School - 23 children including one from a poor home environment,
3 with speech defects and one with a hearing defect.
REGISTRATION OF NURSERIES AND CHILD-MINDERS
The Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968 came into effect
on 1st November, 1968. This Act strengthened the powers of local health
authorities under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948 to
lay down conditions of registration and supervision of private nurseries
and child-minders and substantially increased penalties for failure to
comply with the Act.
As the Council already had a well established "Daily Guardian"
Scheme whereby child-minders caring for children of working mothers were
encouraged to register with the local authority voluntarily for a small
daily payment, there was no rush of applications for registration from
"unknown" child-minders in order to comply with the Act.
At the end of the year there were 12 premises registered for the
sessional care of 376 children and 48 persons registered in their own
homes for the day care of 96 children.
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