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have pleasure in reporting that the London
Borough of Hounslow was awarded one of the
1969 project awards given by the Architectural
Design Centre to encourage good quality of
design in service buildings in a built up
environment plus appropriate and pleasing
siting. Through the joint co-operation of the
architects' department and my own. the
acceptance by the Department of Health and
Social Security of our initial plan, the London
Borough of Hounslow can cake pride in its
achievement and look forward to the actual
erection of the new nursery beginning next year.
Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act,
1948 as amended by the Health Service and
Public Health Act, 1968.
The amendments to the Nurseries and Child
Minders Regulation Act 1948 by section 60 of
the Health Services and Public Health Act,
1968 came into operation on the 1st November
1968 resulting in a tremendous increase of work
in connection therewith during the year 1969
Applications for registration were substantially
increased and the work involved in dealing with
each application in the greater depth and
detail required resulted in new arrangements
having to be implemented at both supervisory
staff and administrative levels Other facets
of the work involved liaison and co ordination
with other departments such as the town clerk's
solicitors education officer s fire prevention
officer's and the planning officer s Through
the education department an appropriate
training course lasting 3 terms was arranged
to provide a comprehensive course for leaders
of play-groups and it is already obvious that
further courses will be needed in the coming
year of the type already being given as well
as shorter courses for women undertaking the
care of fewer children in their own homes
There has also been a nation wide need for
in-training of supervisory staff and two highly
successful courses were provided at Chiswick
Polytechnic this year for supervisors of child
minders and pre-school play groups and of
private nurseries Twenty seven health
visitors attended the first course drawn from
10 London boroughs, including Hounslow and
the provinces e g Leicester Southampton
Twenty four health visitors attended the second
course also from a wide catchment area but
inclusive of health visitors from Hounslow
The content of the course and the lecturers
chosen were fully discussed with Dr Christie
acting on my behalf and both she and the
solicitor to the council participated in
lecturing and in discussions arising therefrom
Day care for a large number of children in
special need is now provided by the borough
by arrangement for some to receive day care
in facilities provided privately Where necessa-y
the cost of such day care is subsidised by the
borough along parallel lines to the assessment
scheme operating for admissions to the council
day nurseries
The following were registered at the end of
the year
Private day nurseries
33 with accommodation for 766 children
Child minders
132 approved for the care of 303 children
Family Planning
Since the 1st January the Council has
implemented fully the National Health Service
(Family Planning) Act 1967
The Family Planning Association acting as
agents of the borough council operate six
clinics within the borough and the number of
sessions has increased considerably during
the year
The clinics are open to all borough residents
irrespective of marital status and the staff are
able to give free advice and treatment to all
who seek it and free advice and supplies to
those in medical pr social need
Discussions have taken place with the
Family Planning Association about the intro
duction of a domiciliary service in 1970