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and not be absorbed by a virile educational service when the transfer of
responsibilities takes place under the National Health Service Act.
There would appear likely to be always a need for a Nursery Service,
though with reduced accommodation, even when the Country realises its
responsibility to encourage mothers with young children to regard their
care as being their chief duty, and to discourage their going out to work
away from their children, if necessary by adequate subsidies. Even in
those probably remote days there will be cases of physical or mental ill
health occurring among mothers or children for whom the provision of
Nurseries, some with residential accommodation, will be desirable.
Nursery schools, by virtue of their house and holidays, apart from any
other factor, must never be regarded as substitutes for Nurseries. There
is a place and a need for both but they perform distinct and different
functions.
Child Life Protection.
The Health Visitors are all Infant Life Protection Officers and during
the year kept 20 foster mothers under supervision. This is about the
average number for recent years, but the 54 children distributed among
them were more numerous than in any previous year.
As stated earlier in this Report, one of the foster children died while
in the District, the infection having been contracted, however, before its
removal into the District. It was thought that no blame could be attached
to the foster mother.
The Health Visitors have also paid a considerable number of visits
with regard to the suitability of families which were proposing to adopt
children.
HOUSING.
The following table is a statistical record of work carried out in respect
of the sanitary condition of dwelling houses
1. Inspection of Dwelling Houses during the Year 1946.
(1) (a) Total number of houses inspected for housing defects (under
Public Health or Housing Acts) 768
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 2,694
(2) (a) Number of dwelling houses (included under sub-head (1)
above) which were inspected and recorded under the
Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 Nil
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose Nil
(3) Number of dwelling houses found to be in a state so dangerous
or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation Nil
(4) Number of dwelling houses (exclusive of those referred to under
the preceding sub-head) found not to be in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation 528
2. Remedy of Defects during the Year Without Service of
Formal Notices:—
Number of defective dwelling houses rendered fit in consequence of
informal action by the Local Authority or their officers 435
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