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To enable mothers to be freed to undertake work, to aid the national
effort during war time, a number of day nurseries was opened, the first
in 1942. Seven in all were established, being sited in those parts of the
district where enquiry showed the demand was greatest. Of these only
that at Vancouver Road failed to be easily filled with children of mothers
engaged on whole-time work, and in general accepting only one child
from a household. The needs of two areas, South Harrow and Kenton,
were met by extending the forty-place nurseries opened to cater for sixty
children. In all, the nurseries provided some 360 places. Those earlier
established were run in two sections, but experience showed the real
advantage, or almost necessity, of running them in not less than three
sections.
In April the Committee considered the future of the nurseries, being
of the opinion that children over two were better provided for in a nursery
school than in a nursery. Approach was made to the Education Committee
as to their possibly taking over any of the buildings as nursery schools.
The matter was reopened on receipt of the Ministry of Health circular 221
in December. The Education Committee decided that when each of
five nurseries, namely all but Vancouver Road and Spencer Road, ceased
to be used as a nursery, it should be maintained by the Education Committee
as a nursery school. The case for the retention of any building as
a nursery then rested largely on the demands for the care of children under
two years of age. At some of the nurseries it was apparent that this
demand was at the time very real, and likely to continue for some time.
These nurseries it was decided to retain until such time as the demand
faded. On the other hand at some the existing demand was light; this
number it was decided should become nursery schools as from the 1st
April. As to Vancouver Road, the difficulties in staffing coupled with
the poor demand led to the decision to close it at the end of March, 1946,
the Education Committee not taking it over as a nursery school. The
decisions in regard to the various nurseries, therefore, were (1) that
Vancouver Road should be closed on the 31st March, 1946, (2) that
Buckingham Road and Rayners Lane Nurseries would as from the 1st
April be administered as nursery schools, (3) that the remaining four
nurseries should continue as day nurseries, until the time came when the
demand at any nursery for the care of the under two's had so fallen off
that consideration should be given to the question of closing it as a nursery
and the Education Committee taking it over as a nursery school.
Daily Guardians.
Particularly to meet the needs of those mothers in an area where
there is not sufficient demand to justify the opening of a nursery to look
after the children, the daily minder scheme was introduced. Under this
certain persons were approved as minders. A mother undertaking
approved work could have her child cared for in the day-time by the
guardian on terms to be agreed mutually, the Ministry of Labour paying
a sum of 4s. per week in addition. The scheme does not take on in this
district to any extent. The reason was probably largely financial.
Apart from the 4s. payment the guardian expected a sum from the
mother appreciably greater than the mother was required to pay at a