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45
Submission of Local Scheme for Approval.
When the scheme, to operate from 1st April, 1946, has
been formulated the welfare authority should submit it, on
form to be supplied shortly, to the Minister of Health for
approval under Section 204 of the Public Health Act, 1936
(Section 251 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936).
Categories of Children to be Admitted to Day Nurseries.
Local authorities should take into account, in formulating
their schemes, the needs of mothers who do not go out to
work as well as of those who do. So far as day nurseries (as
distinct from other measures) are concerned, the practical
difficulties in the way of maintaining the existing number of
places, let alone increasing it, will make it necessary to continue
to give preference to the children of mothers who are employed
in industries which are vital to production for essential home
needs or for export, or of mothers who are ill or being confined,
or of employed unmarried mothers who are anxious to keep
their babies with them, but cannot do so without some provision
for the babies' care during the day, etc. Subject to
this, such vacancies as exist may be filled at the local authority's
discretion, and the limitations which operated in war-time
may be regarded as withdrawn.
Payments by Mothers.
Up to 31st March, 1946, mothers' contributions to the
cost of day nurseries or registered daily guardians should
continue on the existing basis. As from 1st April, 1946, the
existing charges may be raised at the discretion of the welfare
authority.
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Existing Staff.
Appropriate members of the staff, excluding State
Registered and other hospital trained nurses, may be transferred
with such nurseries as are taken over by the local
education authority for use as a nursery school or class. As
however, the number of staff in a war-time nursery will usually
be in excess of the needs of a nursery school or class, it is
essential, in view of the general shortage of trained and
experienced nursery staff, that arrangements should be made
beforehand to transfer redundant staff to other nursery work
elsewhere before the nursery begins to function as a nursery
school or class.