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
West Ham 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The Day Nursery service is of great assistance to those mothers in the Borough who,
being unmarried, widowed, divorced or separated from their husbands have no other means of
support® It is also of value to those families whose finances have become depleted through
sickness or other causes, and who would find it extremely difficult to maintain reasonable
living conditions without such temporary help. Temporary help of this kind is also greatly
needed where the mother is not able to care for her family owing to illness, or the birth
of a baby. In these cases there is considerable advantage in giving help in a way which
does not involve the complete removal of the child from his home environment.
There are also a number of children whose health and emotional development is so impeded by their home conditions that admission to a Day Nursery is of very great help in enabling these children to maintain reasonable standards of health and stability in the face of adverse circumstances.
| NURSERY | Number of Approved Places | Average Daily Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | Over 2 | Total | ||
| Litchfield Avenue | 52 | 8 | 32 | 40 |
| Plaistow Road | 52 | 11 | 21 | 32 |
| Station Street | 52 | 11 | 19 | 30 |
| Liverpool Road | 52 | 9 | 31 | 40 |
| Osborne Road | 50 | 10 | 25 | 35 |
| (closed 12.8.49) | ||||
The numbers on the Nursery Registers are kept above the total available places.
There is considerable irregularity of attendance caused by illness and family circumstances.
The low average attendance was aggravated by places being kept open for children to be transferred
from Osborne Road Nursery.
NURSERIES AND CHILD MINDERS' REGULATION ACT, 1948.
The Nursery at Cumberland Road, which is under the auspices of the Canning Town Women's
Settlement and which was registered under the above Act on the l8th January, 1949 has continued
to function throughout the year. This nursery, which has 15 children on the register, is
visited regularly by one of the Council's Health Visitors, and from time to time by a medical
officer. All the Council's requirements have been complied with and the arrangements have been
found very satisfactory. There is happy and close co-operation between the Settlement and
Nursery Staff on the one hand and the Council staff on the other. No other application for
registration under the Act has been received during 1949, and no person eligible for registration
as a Child Minder has been brought to the notice of the department.
MATERNITY SERVICES. Total births registered as West Ham births during the year 3246
Delivered in their own homes within the Borough 960
Delivered in Maternity Units within the Borough 2156
Delivered outside the Borough 130 3246
NUMBER OP CONFINEMENTS IN MATERNITY UNITS IN THE BOROUGH
| Hospital | West Ham Residents | Total Births |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Gate | 899 | 1320 |
| Plaistow Maternity | 889 | 1101 |
| Queen Mary's | 368 | 832 |
| Total | 2156 | 3253 |