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PERSONAL HEALTH
Clinic premises continued to be made available without charge to the Family
Planning Association, one of the premises being used for a regular counselling
session for the unmarried. At the end of the year thirteen weekly sessions
and two fortnightly sessions were being held in six of the Council's clinics.
The Association also held two sessions a week at the War Memorial Hospital
and two sessions each week at Chase Farm Hospital, these latter sessions
being for the fitting of intra-uterine devices only.
General medical practitioners provide family planning services under the
National Health Service.
The arrangement continued whereby women who are unable or unwilling to
attend a clinic, and to whom pregnancy would be detrimental to health,
were referred by the Health Office to the Family Planning Association for
the provision of a free domiciliary service. The Council pays an annual fee
for each case provided with this service. Seventy-two women were referred
under this scheme during 1971.
Day Care for
Priority Groups
The Council provides day care for children under five years of age in the
priority groups at its own day nursery, in the day nurseries of other local
authorities in appropriate cases, and with suitable registered private day
nurseries, playgroups, and child minders.
On 31st March 1971, after which responsibility for this service was transferred
from the Health Department to the Social Services Department by the Local
Authorities Social Services Act 1970, there were 62 children on the roll of
the Council's 55-place day nursery and nine placed in day nurseries of other
local authorities. There were 36 children in the priority groups on the
waiting list for day nursery places.
The children of unsupported mothers continued to occupy by far the largest
number of places.
The Council continued its scheme for the placement at its expense of
children in the priority groups with private day nurseries, playgroups and
child minders, where it was considered that this would be of benefit to them,
and on 31st March, 40 children were placed under this scheme which provides
that no charge be made to the parents for sessional care; but, for all-day
care, a charge is made using the assessment scale for admission to a local
authority day nursery, unless the child qualifies for free placement because
of handicap.
Nurseries and
Child Minders
Nurseries and Child
Minders Regulation Act
1948, as amended by the
Health Services and
Public Health Act 1968
Under the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act 1948, as amended
by the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, a local health authority
was required to make arrangements for the keeping of registers and the
supervision of nurseries and child minders. However, the Local Authorities
Social Services Act 1970 assigned these functions to the Social Services
Committee and Director of Social Services from the 1st April, 1971.
The number of registered premises (private day nurseries and play-groups)
on 31st March, 1971, was 69 with places for 1,987 children, compared with
the same number of premises registered for 1,961 children at the end of 1970.
During the first three months of the year, the number of registered child
minders increased from 237 approved to take 424 children to 242 approved
to take 420 children. Applications for registration as child minders were
also received from six persons who, for various reasons, decided at a later
date to withdraw their applications. During this three-month period one
person was successfully prosecuted for child minding without being registered
under the above Act.
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