London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kingston upon Thames 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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176
Part time Employment of School Children
In accordance with the Children and Young Persons Act,
medical officers were called upon to examine children for the purpose
of undertaking part time employment, and in addition to these initial
and re-examinations, children were also medically examined in connection
with applications on their behalf for the issue of entertainment
licences.
The number of examinations for these purposes and the results of the examinations are shown in the following table:
| Examinations for employment certificates | 250 |
| Children examined for entertainment licences | 6 |
| Pound to be unfit | nil |
Based on September 1967 Returns
| Children in attendance | 17095 |
| Taking milk | 14317 |
| Percentage taking milk | 83.74% |
| Taking meals | 13569 |
| Percentage taking meals | 79.33% |
| Cost of meal to pupil | 1s.0d. |
| Actual cost of meal | 2s.9d. |
| Percentage taking meals at: | |
| Full cost | 95.81% |
| Free | 4.19% |
School Milk and Meals Service
The provision of milk and school meals plays a very important
part in the maintenance of good health. The standard charge for a
school meal is one shilling per day, and milk is provided free.
There is close collaboration between the Environmental Health
Section and the School Meals Service in order to ensure continued high
standards of hygiene. Equipment is continually improved and the
quality of the meals is good. The provision of milk and meals in
school is very valuable, particularly to those children whose mothers
are in employment, and the following figures are of interest: