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The position was much more difficult at Christmas, when the only
vacant places were due to illness. As the latter cannot be foreseen
accurately, but on the other hand the parents require some notice both
of vacancies and the possibility of transporting their children, in practice
full use could not be made of the unexpected vacancies which did occur.
It is pleasing to be able to report that throughout the year the
health of the children in the Nurseries and Nursery Schools was relatively
satisfactory, and no cases of poliomyelitis occurred in any of these
institutions, thus justifying the insistence on the avoidance of overcrowding.
A further problem which has arisen of late in the Nurseries has
related to the training of students. At the Purley Nursery the ages of
the children do not usually exceed 2\ years; hence the students can
only train for and take Part A Certificate of the National Nursery
Examination Board. At Old Coulsdon the children are aged up to 3
years, and the students would naturally desire to take the full Certificate,
but it is impracticable for them to obtain sufficient experience with the
children of 3-5 years of age in the Nursery School, although they get
plenty of time with the 2-3 year-olds. It would seem obvious that an
exchange of staff should be effected between the Nursery and Nursery
School to encourage this training, but owing to the differences in the
numbers of students employed in the two Departments, this has so far
been impracticable.
Towards the end of 1947 the Council received notice to quit the
Purley Day Nursery premises, and thanks to the offer of a local resident
took the preliminary steps towards acquiring the use of more commodious
and suitable premises in Lower Sanderstead. It was hoped that it would
be practicable to effect this before the transfer of responsibility for child
welfare to the County Council in July, 1948, and also that with an
increase in the amount of accommodation, all the children under 5 years
of age of parents who really need Nursery as opposed to Nursery School
assistance, and who reside in the District (other than in Coulsdon or Old
Coulsdon), would be able to be met. This Nursery should, moreover,
provide a training establishment for the full National Nursery Nurses'
Certificate for a larger number of students than has hitherto been possible,
which is of importance, bearing in mind the need for recruitment
of embryo nurses.
The Council also explored the possibility of establishing a Nursery
in the Kenley/Whyteleafe part of the District. While there is a very
extensive need for Nursery School accommodation in the District, which
is unlikely to be met fully for years owing to the difficulties in providing
new building, it is hoped that the demand for Day Nurseries will
gradually diminish with the fall in the illegitimacy rate, improved social
conditions, etc., as Nurseries are an expensive form of social service.
Child Life Protection.
The Health Visitors are all Infant Life Protection Officers, and
during the year kept 20 foster mothers under supervision, which is the
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