View report page

33
Private Day Nurseries and Registered Child Minders
Private day nurseries and child minders are registered under the
Nurseries and Child Minders Regulations Act 1948 as amended by Section
60 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968. Section 60 extended
the requirements of registration to all premises in which one or more
children under the age of five years are minded for two or more hours per
day for reward.
A large number of women continue to apply to become child-minders
and the standard of these women is generally good. Unfortunately, there
still seem to be a number of children, who are daily-minded, who do not
receive continuity of care by one child-minder but mainly for one reason
or another move from one to another. This seems to happen with a number
of the immigrant children. All child-minders are told how important
continuity of care is for young children.
Due to lack of accommodation suitable for play groups—most
church halls, scout huts, sports pavilions, etc., having already been
registered, there were only a comparatively small number of premises
registered. Many more small home groups are starting, the women running
them being registered as child-minders giving part-day care.
When applying for registration, the child-minder or play group leader
is sent notes for child-minders "Looking after Children". The applicants
are interviewed by a Medical Officer at the home or premises where it is
proposed to carry out the daily care of children. This gives an opportunity
of assessing the applicant's qualifications and suitability and also to
discuss the standards required by the Council. The child-minders and play
groups are supervised quarterly by the health visitors and periodic visits
are made by the Medical Officer to ensure that the conditions of registration
are being maintained and also to advise on the wellbeing of the children.
The Harrow pre-school Play Group Association runs courses for
women interested in the care of young children and also courses for play
group leaders. Child-minders and play group leaders particularly are
encouraged to attend a course if they have not already done so. With the
help of the Department of Further Education and support from the
Health Department, a play group leaders course, run by the Association,
was started at the Harrow Technical College.
The Harrow pre-school Play Group Association have been of
assistance in helping to start two play groups in needy areas of the Borough.
One was started for a housing estate where there was no suitable, safe,
outdoor play area for young children and the Education Department
allowed a play group to be run in the local youth club. The Association
provided a play group leader to launch the project and then enthusiastic
local mothers, attending the play group leaders course, took over. The
second play group was started in the Community Centre in one corner of
the Borough where there is a high proportion of difficult or problem