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79
The number of individual children minded during the year was 189 and they
were in the care of guardians for 19,527 days.
These figures compare with 174 and 17,559 respectively for 1953.
Day Nurseries
At the beginning of the year the number of day nurseries in the Area was
reduced from six to three by the closure of Red Gables, Stonecroft and
Lordship Lane nurseries. Stonecroft Day Nursery was subsequently re-opened
and Ladywell was closed. Arrangements were made for the children attending
the closed nurseries to be transferred to those remaining open and in some
cases transport was provided between the children's home and their new
nurseries. These arrangements have been continued and at the end of the year
24 children were being transported.
Hiring the year 12 students sat for the exanination of the Nursery Nurses
Exanination Board and all were successful in obtaining their certificates.
The to the closure of three day nurseries, three of the matrons left the
service. Two were offered and accepted posts as home nurses in the Area and
one obtained a post outside the Area. All other nursing staff were absorbed
into the remaining nurseries with the exception of one who retired on a superannuation
allowance, and the establishment has been reduced to its new level
by normal wastage.
Admissions to the nurseries are increasingly from families with domestic
difficulties and tend also to be from a moving population. These factors and
the uncertainty of retention in the nurseries have made the work increasingly
difficult and the constructive work which should be a feature of the service
is declining as help is given to parents and children over a shorter period.
The average daily attendance has been 139.3 and the number on the register at
the end of the year was 158. This shows that the attendances have been well
maintained and absenteeism from infection has been negligible. Park Lane Day
Nursery had a slight epidemic of chicken pox, otherwise there have only been
isolated cases of infection. The nurseries have remained open throughout the
year apart from public holidays.
The following table shows the attendances at individual nurseries during
the year.