London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Dagenham 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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DAY NURSERIES
DAY NURSERY ATTENDANCES JANUARY—DECEMBER, i960
| Day Nursery | Number of approved places | Average Daily Attendance | Average No. on Register | Total Attendances | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goresbrook Chadwell Heath | 70 54 | 28.8 37.3 | 41.3 50 | 7,332 9,517 | ||||||||
| TOTALS | 124 | 66.1 | 91.3 | 16,849 | ||||||||
| Nursery | Widows | Parents Separated | Desertion | Illness of Mother | Illness of Father | Unmarried Mothers | Socioeconomic | Mothers working to supplement income | Total | |||
| Goresbrook | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 36 | 59 | |||||
| Chadwell Heath | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 42 | 57 | ||||
| Number of children in all Nurseries 1960 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 78 | 116 | ||||
This year, Kingsley Hall was converted to a Day Centre for Handicapped Children
under 5, so the central area of Dagenham had no day nursery service. The few children
attending Kingsley Hall were absorbed into Goresbrook and Chadwell Heath nurseries
but, of course, the distances are too great to expect any new children from this central
area to go to either of the day nurseries.
The average daily attendance at Goresbrook was very slightly up on last year and
that at Chadwell Heath was slightly lower, although the number on the register was
considerably higher. On several occasions there was a waiting list for Chadwell Heath,
especially for the baby nursery. This nursery is much more conveniently situated than
Goresbrook, of course, and draws on a much larger area.
About one third of the children receive assistance for fees. These are children with
usually only one parent, or an invalid parent, or some social distress. The remaining two
thirds are sent for various reasons—the chief of which is some pressing economic necessity
which is dealt with by the mother going out to work. This became more noticeable
towards the end of the year when a lot of local factories went on short time. Of course,
the charge is uneconomic unless the mother can command a high wage and this is not
often possible.
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