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50
East Coast Flood Disaster, February, 1953,
One Health Visitor and two Clinic Nurses were loaned, one for 2
days, one for 14 days and one for 13 nights to assist in relief duties (at ;i
reception centre and in specialised home visiting) in the South Essex Health
Area, following the flooding at Tilbury, Purfleet, Grays and Corringham.
Day Nurseries.
(a) The hours of opening at all the Nurseries during 1953 continued
to be 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday only.
(b) The charge made to parents for meals for children attending the
Nurseries had been 2/- per child per day from the 1st January, 1952. On
the 18th January, 1953, however, as mentioned in the Annual Report for
last year, the standard charge was increased to 7/6 per child per day with
provision for this charge to be reduced according to scale when the means
of the parents do not justify the full fee. This amendment was arising
from the provision in the National Health Service Act, 1952, that fees
charged for the attendance of children at Day Nurseries should be in
relation to the upkeep and running costs.
The marked decrease in the daily attendances at the Nurseries noted
last year has continued to be evident. Accommodation has, however, been
made available to neighbouring Areas for children who can more conveniently
attend an Ilford Nursery than one in their own Area, particular^
those residing on the Hainault (L.C.C.) Estate.
(c) Stevens Road Day Nursery.—As was mentioned last year, this
Nursery was closed on the 28th July. 1953. in view of the decline in the
demand for places at the Nursery. At the date of closure only 4 children
remained on the register and these were transfrred to the Goodmayes Lane
Day Nursery. The few remaining staff were transferred to other Nurseries
to fill vacancies there.
Pending a decision as to the future use of the premises the Child
Guidance Clinic was transferred there in the middle of November, 1953,
for a period of one month whilst alterations were being carried out to
Loxford Hall
(d) The training of Students at the Nurseries for the Certificate of the
National Nursery Examination Board continued. Five Students (two from
the Ley Street Nursery, two from the Sunshine House Nursery and one
from the Goodmayes Lane Nursery) entered for the examination during
the year, four of whom obtained the Certificate. The fifth entered again
in January, 1954, after having left the Sunshine House Nursery in
December. 1953, and obtained the Certificate at this second attempt.
In January, 1953, approval was given to arrangements being made for
young students to attend part-time courses (on one day a week) at day
continuation classes whilst awaiting enrolment for the Nursery Nurses
Course at a Technical College in the September following their sixteenth
birthday; this enables them to pursue their studies in general subjects and
so improve their general educational standard during this pre-nursery
course period. Four students (3 from Goodmayes Lane Nursery and one
from Ley Street Nursery) attended such a course at the St. George's Day
Release Centre. Dagenham, in 1953.