View report page

215
being the chief agency for ensuring adequate medical supervision
of children between two and five years. With regard
to children under five years who may be attending nursery
classes, it will be necessary for the Maternity and Child Welfare
and Education Authorities to come to some definite understanding
as to their respective responsibilities relative to
health supervision. In coming to a decision on this matter
it should be appreciated that the nursery school or class is not a
substitute for the home, but a supplement which works best
when it is in close touch with home influences.
The official Report of the Consultative Committee on
Infant and Nursery Schools (1933) states that:—
" There are certain aspects of physical care which are
common to all nursery schools; of these the principal are
inspections by the school doctor once a term and sometimes
once a month, frequent visits by the school nurse,,
the systematic weighing and measuring of children, and
the exercise of great care in the detection and isolation
of cases of infectious illness."
In addition, it is stated in the recent publication by the Board
of Education on " Nursery Schools and Nursery Classes " that
" These children are kept under observation in their
homes by Health Visitors."
Should the responsible Authority wish to put into operation
the intensive medical and nursing supervision (outlined above)
in the case of all children attending nursery classes, it should
be realised that additional medical and nursing assistance may
be necessary.
School Dental Service.
Circular 1444 states that—
" The School Dental Service is seriously incomplete
in most parts of the country. Authorities should aim at
securing an initial dental inspection of every child on its
entry into school life, to be followed by an annual re-examination
until the child ceases to attend school. On this
basis the Board estimate that, with a normal number of
acceptances for treatment, a minimum standard should
consist of one dentist for 5,000 children in an urban area
and 4,000 children in a rural area, although this is insufficient
where a high percentage of parents accept