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During 1956 the number of Infant Welfare Sessions held was
403 (406 in 1955), the total attendance was 15,580 (14,647) and
the average attendance per session 38.6 (36). The Doctors' consultations
numbered 4,620 (4,172) or 12.2 (10.8) per session.
Nurseries and Child Minding.
The County Council maintains two Day Nurseries situated as
follows:-
"Hazelglen" Day Nursery, Sanderstead Road, Sander- SANderstead 5329
stead. (Matron: Miss I. M. Bettridge)
Old Coulsdon Day Nursery, Bradmore Green. Old Downland 4071.
Coulsdon. (Matron: Mrs. L. C. Bryan, S.R.N.)
They can only accept the children of residents on grounds of
health in the widest sense, including bad home conditions, or when
the mother is the sole wage earner. Applications for admission
should be made to the Divisional Medical Officer, 115 Brighton
Road, Purley.
There are also two County Council residential establishments
for children in the District under the supervision of the Children's
Officer.
In addition there are 17 registered Child Minders who accept
children for care by private arrangement, usually for about 3 hours
daily, and 8 registered foster mothers. The number in both
groups varies from year to year. All are supervised by the Health
Visitors or Children's Officer.
School Health Service.
The basis of this Service is the routine compulsory examination
of all children attending the County Council's schools, at
least four or five times during their school life, coupled with an
annual dental inspection and an inspection each term for cleanliness,
etc., of all except the most senior children by a Health Visitor.
When defects are found these are either kept under observation
or, if early treatment is needed, those concerned are referred to
their private doctors or dentists. In some cases, subject to the
private doctor's consent, they are referred for specialist advice or
treatment; for others, special clinics are arranged, e.g. dental, eye
clinics and clinics for speech therapy, remedial exercises and child
guidance.
The main groups of the commonest abnormalities found are
visual defects, ears, nose and throat defects and postural or foot
defects.
Handicapped children receive very special attention, the objects
being to see that they get any treatment they require and
particularly to ensure that their education is adapted to their needs
and is interrupted as little as possible. For certain groups, e.g. the
blind, deaf and mentally sub-normal, special schools are provided
but as far as practicable these children are brought up in a normal
environment and not encouraged to think of themselves as being
abnormal.
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