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As a result sixty applications for registration under the amended Act were
received, mostly from registered Daily Guardians and others who had been previously
exempt because of the small number of children cared for. At the end of
the year these were still under consideration.
During 1968 there were seventeen applications for registration of premises as
day nurseries, and all were approved, making a total of 48 day nurseries providing
places for 1,440 children at the end of the year.
Applications for registration as child minders were received from twelve persons
during the year. All except one were approved, making a total of 27 registered child
minders in the borough at the end of the year providing care for 200 children.
The Council are very much aware of the big and growing demand in the
community for day placement of children and during the year it approved a further
two of its clinic premises being made available without charge for use by play groups.
Continuing negotiations between the Council and the Enfield and District
Pre-School Playgroups Association took place throughout the year concerning the
ways in which, by a joint approach, the service could be augmented and improved.
In December the Council decided to appoint a part-time Pre-School Playgroups
Organiser whose duties would include liaison with the Association, assisting in the
setting-up of new playgroups and the visiting of existing playgroups to advise on
such matters as activities and equipment and the best use of the Council's financial
grant.
The first course extending over a year arranged by the Education Committee
for playgroup leaders was completed in July, 1968, and proved very popular. Students
attended for one day a week over a period of one academic year and a certificate
was awarded to those who completed the course successfully. A second course
started in September, 1968, and there were more applicants than places available.
Daily Guardians
The daily guardian scheme was introduced many years ago to enable persons
caring for children outside the scope of the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation
Act, 1948, (as originally enacted), voluntarily to register as daily guardians with
the Health Department and to receive from the Council a small weekly fee for each
child minded. The children were required to attend the neighbouring child welfare
clinic. By these means, supervision of those who would otherwise be subject to no
control was possible and standards were kept at an optimum level.
At the end of the year 65 children were being cared for by 52 registered daily
guardians. These figures show that, compared with the preceding year, both the
number of children cared for and the number of registered daily guardians had
increased by nearly 50%.
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