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40
War Nurseries. SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN.
At the beginning of the year there were the following nurseries (with
their accommodation): Spencer Road, Wealdstone (49), Walton Avenue,
South Harrow (40), Buckingham Road, Edgware (40) and Kenmore Road,
Kenton (40).
The pressure of demand came from South Harrow and Wealdstone,
so the South Harrow nursery was extended by another 19 places (ready
in April), while a new nursery for 50 places was opened in August in
Headstone Drive, this eliminating the waiting list for the Spencer Road
nursery. The Ministry approved the principle of the erection of nurseries
to accommodate children of women war workers who applied for the
admission of two children, or to accommodate children of part-time
workers. On this understanding nurseries were opened in Rayners Lane,
in November, and Vancouver Road, Edgware, in December, each being
for 50 children. The increasing difficulty in obtaining staff deferred the
opening of the Vancouver Road nursery. When local authorities were
permitted to advertise, staffing difficulties, though never far off, at no
time assumed the serious proportions experienced when this facility was
withdrawn. The very high absentee rate amongst the nursing staff makes
it essential that most of the staff are ready to take up their duties before
risking the opening of a new nursery. The reason for this very high
absence rate on account of sickness is not very clear. That it is as high
in summer as in winter suggests that the structural conditions of the
nurseries themselves are not the cause, and it may be chiefly because
many of the staff today would not be working outside their own homes
were it not for the war.
Towards the end of the year the only part of the district in which
the demand for nursery accommodation was not being met was in Kenton,
so application, which was belatedly received, was made for approval to
extend the Kenmore Road nursery.
The average attendances at each of the nurseries was, for Spencer
Road 45.2, South Harrow (after extension) 48.0, Buckingham Road 34.0
and Kenmore Road 34.2.
The Ministry of Health Circular S.R.O. 78, by which applications
from persons outside the district were to be treated the same as those of
local residents caused no change here as this practice had been followed
for some time. For a period after the new nurseries at Rayners Lane and
Vancouver Road were opened, because vacancies were only slowly taken
up, it was possible to take advantage of the approval contained in Circular
S.R.O. 90 which authorised, subject to certain provisos, the admission to
the nurseries of children in cases of domestic hardship.
From the time of the opening of the nurseries it was found impossible
to attach to each nursery or even to pairs of nurseries a nursery school
trained teacher. Towards the end of the year the appointment of such
a teacher was made, her duties, in addition to acting as warden at one of
the nurseries, being to supervise the work of the wardens attached to the
other nurseries.
Towards the end of the year one probationer obtained her diploma.
Arrangements had been made for certain of the probationers to put in a
month at a residential nursery.