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20
DAY NURSERIES
The 370 approved places in the eight Day Nurseries have been tilled throughout the year, and the
general attendance has been good apart from a few periods when Nurseries had cases of infectious disease
(Tables 68 and 69).
The number of children on the waiting list has steadily increased (Table 70).
Rules for admission remain unchanged, and 99% of the children were in the priority group.
(Table 71).
Increasing difficulty has been experienced in recruiting qualified staff nursery nurses and wardens,
and at the end of the year 12 vacancies remained (Table 72). There were enough nursery students to fill the
places in the 5 nurseries approved as training schools; two students completed their training and passed the
N.N.E.B. examination.
CONVALESCENCE
Under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, patients may be recommended for a short term
stay in a convalescent holiday home. Normally these patients are those recovering from a serious illness or
operation, and require only rest, fresh air and good food to complete treatment.
Applications are received from general practitioners, hospitals and from clinics, and approved
recommendations are forwarded to the county medical officer who arranges homes suitable to the individual
cases.
If a reduction in the standard charge of £5.5.0d. is required, applicants have to complete an economic
circumstances form and they are assessed by the divisional finance officer. A request may also be made for
payment of travelling expenses.
Number of recommendations:—
Adults 106
Children 20
126
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
(Tables 73-87)
Routine Medical Inspection (Tables 73-77).
Routine school medical inspection in schools continued with the follow-up of defects and the offer
of treatment at school clinics.
Audiometry (Tables 79-80)
The extension of the audiometry scheme announced in May 1957 had its first complete year of
working, and with the additional staff each child should have a routine hearing test three times during its
school life.
Handicapped Pupils (Tables 85-87)
Handicapped pupils recommended for admission to special residential schools were usually admitted
during the following term — the only exception being maladjusted children in the older age group.
The waiting list for Leinster Day Special School for Educationally Sub-normal Pupils remains; the
situation should improve when the proposed move to more spacious premises takes place.
CHILD GUIDANCE (Tables 88-89)
In December the Psychiatrist resigned when he returned to South Africa. The Educational Psychologist
was appointed County Psychologist for Middlesex, but continued to work at the Centre until the appointment
of a successor in the early part of 1959. One of the psychiatric social workers resigned in August in
order to devote more time to her training as a child psychotherapist, and the vacancy was filled in October.
Treatment is mainly carried out by the psychiatrist and two part-time psychotherapists conducting
regular weekly sessions for the children, assisted by the two full-time psychiatric social workers, who hold
regular meetings with the parents. Shorter methods of treatment, up to six interviews, have been used for a
number of children.
Regular monthly meetings of the assistant medical officers and clinic staff have continued, and the
psychiatrist has made weekly visits to the maternity and child welfare centres. At these meetings the medical
officers have brought forward their own cases for discussion and the emphasis has been on the preventive
aspect.
Joint conferences have been arranged with probation officers, speech therapists and child care officers,
and group meetings have also been held for health visitors, psychologists and nurses. In addition, individual
psychological and social casework students have spent periods at the centre as part of their training.