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53
There is also co-operation with a Voluntary Moral Welfare Worker
in the district and all cases are followed up by the Health Visitors.
Health Visitors and School Nurses.—The establishment of 18 in
addition to the Superintendent Health Visitor was agreed by the Ilford
Council on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health in 1947.
Unfortunately, owing to the extreme difficulty in obtaining staff, it
has still been quite impossible even to approach this number in spite of
repeated advertisements and applications to various organisations.
Clinic Nurses have, however, continued to be employed to relieve
the Health Visitors by undertaking certain duties at the Infant Welfare
Centres, Immunisation and other Clinics, school medical inspections and
by visiting the homes of children under 5 years of age to see how they
are progressing and to invite attendance at the Infant Welfare Centres,
where advice can be given by the Health Visitor or Doctor.
The Training Scheme for Health Visitors inaugurated by the Essex
County Council in conjunction with the S.E. Essex Technical College has
continued and certain trainees have been allocated to Ilford for practical
instruction. One trainee, on completing the Course in 1950 and passing
the examination for the Health Visitors' Certificate of the Royal Sanitary
Institute, was appointed as a Health Visitor and School Nurse here.
At the end of the year there were only 7 full-time and one part-time
qualified Health Visitors and School Nurses in addition to the Superintendent
Health Visitor, and 2 Clinic Nurses.
The following is a summary of the home visits made by the Health
Visitors and Clinic Nurses during 1950 as far as the Maternity and Child
Welfare work is concerned.
First visits to newly-born infants 2,421
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 4,073
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age and under 5 9,867
Visits to expectant mothers . 60
Home visits for other reasons 4,242
Total visits paid 20,663
Day Nurseries.
(a) Stevens Road Day Nursery.—The new Nursery in Stevens Road
was opened on the 16th March, 1950, replacing the premises in Becontree,
Avenue which were vacated on the 13th March, 1950.
(b) Seven Kings Day Nursery.—Work commenced on the erection of
the new Nursery in Goodmayes Lane in October, 1950, and it is anticipated
that this will be completed by the autumn. In the meantime the
Nursery has continued to occupy the premises in Green Lane.
(c) As from the 1st April, 1950, the charge made to parents for meals
for children attending the Nurseries was increased from 1/- to l/6d. per
day for each child.
(d) The Sunshine House Day Nursery was closed on Saturday
mornings as from the 18th March. 1950. and as from that date the hours
of opening at all the Nurseries have therefore been from 7.30 a.m. to
6 p.m., Monday to Friday only.
(e) The training of Students at the Nurseries for the certificate of
the National Nursery Examination Board continued. Six Students (three
from the Stevens Road Nursery, one from the Ley Street Nursery, one
from the Sunshine House Nursery and one from the Green Lane Nursery)
entered for the examination during the year, all of whom obtained the
certificate,