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Age of children on register at 31st December, 1959.
Under 6 months 5
6 months-1 year 3
1-2 years 23
2-5 years 72
103
Length of stay of children on register at 31st December, 1959.
3-4 years 5
2-3 years 10
1-2 years 19
Under 1 year 69
103

The low average attendance is largely accounted for by outbreaks of measles
(31 cases at Plalstow Nursery; 22 at Litchfield Nursery) and Sonne dysentery (21 at
Litchfield and 10 at Plaistow Nursery), At a time when these diseases are rife in the
community, it is impossible to prevent their introduction into the nurseries, though new
admissions were stopped for a time. There were also 8 cases of mumps and 2 of whooping
cough.
Another factor which keeps the average attendance lower than is necessary is the
tendency for some parents to withdraw their children from the nursery with no prior notice,
when they no longer need the nursery service. Time is then wasted in finding out why the
children are not attending, before the places can be filled. Most parents, however, are
very appreciative of the help which the day nursery gives in enabling the family to surmount
a crises, to keep the children living at home in spite of domestic difficulties, and in
the case of the unmarried mother, to maintain economic independence without complete
separation from her child,
Staffing
With the comparatively low average attendance, opportunity was taken during the
year to reduce the staff by two students and one certificated nursery nurse at each
nursery. According to the instruction of the Council, no existing member of staff was
made redundant.
71