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51
The following is a summary of the home visits made by the Health
Visitors during 1946 as far as the Maternity and Child Welfare work is
concerned:—
First visits to newly-born infants 3.741
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 5,819
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age and under 5 9,276
Visits to expectant mothers 466
Home visits for other reasons 2,004
Total visits paid 21,306
Supply of Milk to Expectant and Nursing Mothers and Infants.—
A total of 55 lbs. of dried milk were given free under the Regulations of
the Ministry of Health during 1946 to 2 infants. Since July, 1940, the
supply of liquid milk by the Council has been suspended as this is now
provided under the National Milk Scheme.
Day Nurseries.
(a) On the 31st December, 1945, notification was received from the
London County Council, the owners of the site of the Becontree Avenue Day
Nursery, that it was necessary for the Council to resume possession of the
land in order that the work of re-building of the housing accommodation,
formerly occupying the site could be proceeded with, and subsequently
requesting that the site should be cleared by the 1st July, 1946.
Following discussions with the London County Council, the Council
have fortunately been able to retain the Nursery on the site until such time
as a proposed Nursery on land in Stevens Road is built.
The Ministry of Health have sanctioned the proposal of the Council to
erect a Nursery in Stevens Road to accommodate 50 children, and the work
will be proceeded with as soon as the plans have been approved by the
Ministry.
(b) Future Provision of Nursery Accommodation for Children under Five.—
Arising from a circular issued by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of
Education, and from a letter received from the Clerk of the Essex County
Council, on the future planning, development and operation of Day Nurseries
the Ilford Council agreed that, as a short-term policy, the four Day Nurseries
in the Borough be continued as heretofore, pending the formulation of the
Educational Development Plan, subject to the continued availability of
premises. The Ministry of Health subsequently approved the arrangements
made.
(c) In the circular mentioned the Ministry stated that the arrangement
under which the Authorities' net expenditure on war-time nurseries was
re-imbursed from the Exchequer would continue until the 31st March, 1946,
and that as from that date a special grant payable in respect of their net
approved expenditure which was approximately 50%, would instead be
payable.
{d) The Council were further empowered to vary as from the 1st April,
1946, the existing charge of 1s. per day for the maintenance of children in
the nurseries. It was decided, however, not to make any variation in such
charge, but to review the matter in twelve months' time.
(e) Owing to the exceptionally lengthy waiting lists of children for
admission to the Day Nurseries the Council decided to admit the children
on a priority basis, dependent upon the domestic circumstances of the parent
or parents of the children.
(/) The Nursery Nurses Examination Board has now replaced the National
Society of Children's Nurseries as the examination authority for Students
trained at the Day Nurseries. As all the four Day Nurseries were affiliated