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150
The next Table, No. 78, shows classified according
to year of birth the number of children attending and
the number of attendances made by them during the
year. There is one point in the table which calls for special
mention. The percentage of infants attending may be
regarded as very good, but the number of attendances made
by toddlers is very small, and becomes less as the toddler
advances in years. In theory the Council's scheme purports
to deal with all children until they reach the age of five years
or until they go to school at an earlier age. In actual fact,
as the table shows, relatively few toddlers attend the centres,
i.e., there is a very definite hiatus between the supervision
of the infant and that of the school child. This is unfortunate
because much of the benefit which accrues from the
supervision of the infant is often lost before the child goes
to school, where on entry it may be discovered to be suffering
from preventable defects.
The matter is one which causes concern to the Ministry of
Health and the Board of Education, and towards the end of
the year a Circular was issued drawing the attention of local
authorities to this hiatus and suggesting ways whereby it may
be bridged over. The matter has also had careful consideration
by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee of the Council,
and at the end of the year proposals were being considered
for the annual medical inspection of toddlers.