View report page

PRIVATE DAY NURSERIES AND REGISTERED CHILD-MINDERS
14.2.2.1 There were at 31st December 1967, 23 establishments registered under the
Nurseries and Child-minders Regulation Act 1948 as private day nurseries. These establishments
catered for 5 children under the age of 2 years and 549 aged 2 - 4 years. The
hours during which the establishments operated varied considerably and several might
more accurately be termed play groups although in fact registered as nurseries. At the
same date, 17 persons were registered under the Act as child-minders to mind a total of
126 children.
14.2.2.2 Section 60 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968, which amends
the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948, was brought into effect on 1st
November, 1968. The amendments are aimed at removing the difficulties in implementing
the provisions of the earlier Act and extending its scope to include:-
(a) premises (other than those used wholly or mainly as private dwellings) in
which children are received for a total of 2 hours or more in the day and
(b) all persons who in their own homes, for reward, and for similar periods, look
after one child or more under five years of age to whom they are not related.
As a consequence, we shall discontinue the Council's scheme for voluntary registration
of child-minders not hitherto subject to statutory registration because they looked after
fewer than three children. At the end of 1967, 304 children were in the care of 194 such
child-minders. In return for their co-operation in the Council's scheme, voluntary registered
child-minders have been paid a weekly retainer of 6s and this will cease, three months
notice having been given, from 31st January, 1969.
14.2.2.3 At the end of 1968 there were 30 premises registered to receive 711 children in
all, and 21 minders to receive 136 children. It is expected that under the amended Act
applications for registration will be made by most of the 233 child-minders at present
registered under the voluntary scheme, plus an estimated 200 additional persons who care
for one or two children only and are not so registered. Also it may be anticipated that
the proprietors of about 15 play groups, etc., which did not come under the scope of the
former Act will apply for registration of the premises in which their groups operate. The
compulsory registration will cause considerable extra work initially for medical, nursing,
administrative and clerical staff; there is also likely to be a considerable increase in
the number of inspection visits required to be carried out after registration. The effects
of the tightening-up of the law on child-minding are hard to foresee, but clearly childminding
will continue as long as there are considerable waiting lists for top priority day
nursery cases, and great vigilance will be required to ensure that the activity is not
driven underground.
PLAY FACILITIES FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN
14.2.3.1 A comprehensive review of the day care and play facilities provided for
pre-school children was undertaken early in 1967. It was estimated that there were
approximately 16,100 children in Camden under the age of 5 and that, although not all
these required organised play facilities or day care, those who did so fell into two
categories:-
(a) those needing full-time day care, i.e. children of lone parents or those whose
home environment was detrimental to health;
(b) those requiring part-time or occasional care.
There is another group of children who are culturally deprived, lacking stimulation and
experience and the opportunity to learn, who need places in nursery schools, day nurseries
or play groups, but the size of this group cannot be estimated.
14.2.3.2 For children requiring part-time or occasional care, organised facilities are
provided by occasional creches; play centres organised by the Camden Play Centres
Association; the Greater London Council's Play-Parks Scheme; Inner London Education
Authority Nursery Schools and Classes; and play groups run by voluntary organisations
such as the Save the Children Fund, or privately. These are considered separately in the
following paragraphs.
37